


Mischief on Midgard

by Areitheperidotdragon, Moonybird



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Banished Loki (Marvel), Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel)-centric, POV Loki (Marvel), Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2020-04-25 09:05:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 28
Words: 70,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19163821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Areitheperidotdragon/pseuds/Areitheperidotdragon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonybird/pseuds/Moonybird
Summary: Takes place after the first Avengers movies, then goes AU. If Odin truly sees Thor and Loki as equal, they ought to face equal punishment for equal crime. Thors suggestion is granted and Loki is stripped of his powers as he banished to midgard where he has to either proof himself worthy or spend the rest of his life on earth without any special powers.





	1. Banishment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction is currently under re-construction! 
> 
> I got an Editor, Arei-The Peridot Dragon. Whom is doing such a fantastic job that I rather you read her version of the story than my version filled with so many spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. 
> 
> That she is doing this is very generous, so please be patient. The story will be updated as she is done editing.

The events following the Chitauri attack on New York were by no means an easy time for Thor to go through despite the pyrrhic victory. And it was such a victory for him if not for the rest of the Avengers.

Loki, his only brother, had done unforgivable things. Loki had lied to him. Had tricked him. Had attacked both himself and his, _their_ , friends; Sif and the Warriors Three. All for his own selfish ends.

And then…

Then he had let go at the Rainbow bridge. Loki. Thor had thought his brother had been lost him. For an entire year that image had been _burned_ into Thor's skull; Loki dangling from his staff, Thor holding said staff and Odin himself holding onto Thor's leg. Thor could to nothing but yell and plead, all else forgotten in that moment. He'd been too scared of the thought of Loki falling. Of his grip slipping from the staff. Of losing his only brother. Thor had seen the darkness flit across his brother's face. Had begged him, 'Loki No!'... but then all of Thor's worst fears had been realized. Loki let go. He let go and vanished down into the nothingness of dark space. Gone. In an instant, gone. And he was helpless in the face of it. Thor had yelled. He had screamed and cried. It had taken several people to finally calm him down, each telling him it wasn't his fault and that there was nothing he could have done. Thor had to accept the fact that he was never going to see his brother again.

Then news had come. Surprising news! Loki was alive. He was, against all odds, alive! Hope had blossomed within Thor's chest. Perhaps it wasn't too late! Perhaps they could still figure things out. As brothers. As a _family_!

But the Loki which had met him… was not the brother he had known. His eyes had been distant and cold. His words were sinister. Worse yet, he seemed to truly be enjoying himself as he caused havoc on Midgard.

His brother had acted like an animal, a caged beast that had finally been freed from its' leash. A wild animal that was finally allowed to just _be_. Loki had reveled in showing off his power and abilities. Had adored the fact that there was no one he had to appease, not even the All-father himself. Had so obviously loved it when his words had cut through Thor and hurt him, filling him with despair.

Even now, as Thor dragged Loki back with him to Asgard in chains, Loki didn't seem intent on showing that he'd had a change of heart. No remorse was visible in his eyes. In fact, he looked as if he was amused by the proceedings more than anything else. As if all of this was some sort of game to him.

It's not as if he could talk to his brother just then. Not until he was safely ensconced in his cell. Thor had elected to place a muzzle on his brother to silence his words, given that the dark-haired male simply _hadn't stopped trying_ to cause doubts in the ranks of the Avengers around him. Even with his hands and feet bound, his tongue had still been fast at work. Mocking, taunting, baiting and chuckling as if he knew some dark secret no one else did until Thor finally had enough and just slapped the damned thing over his mouth.

He needed to return Loki to Asgard alive _and_ whole. His brother pissing off the other Avengers wasn't helping him reach that goal.

As they reached the holding cells, Thor could finally remove the muzzle. He had honestly expected Loki to speak at once, something cruel and cold. Instead his younger brother had simply settled on glaring at Thor as he guided his brother into the cell. The silence dragged on, Loki's hands bound in front of him, his eyes burning with anger and yet… he remained silent.

"Brother..." Thor started hesitantly and then shoved said wariness aside to speak the words he needed to say. "Please! I beg of thee! Will you not show any signs of regret? You know as well as I that Odin will be merciful, if you just atone! Search your soul brother, please."

Loki tilted his head as Thor spoke and the anger faded from his eyes. At first, Thor was hopeful, but then his brother smirked, eyes alighting with cruel amusement instead of the prior fires of rage.

"'Brother'?" he repeated as he leaned his forehead against the bars. A soft, bitter chuckle escaped him. "You buffoon, somehow you still persist in your delusion. I have no brother. You disgust me."

Thor closed his eyes to hide the pain in them and Loki laughed louder. Oh, but his brother had chosen the words that would hurt him the most. He had gotten exactly what he wanted from Thor; his pain. Thor looked down to compose himself and when he looked back at his brother, the sorrow and pain was gone, replaced by anger.

"Very well then. Know that you've chosen your own fate!" he stated firmly.

Loki just made a face at him. Like that of a naughty child who had done nothing worse than being caught with his hand inside of the cookie jar! His was a smile that wasn't really apologetic or guilty, only amused that someone was upset with him.

Thor hissed furiously as he turned around and started to walk away.

"Oh, Thor?" Loki's voice rang out behind him. "I'm truly surprised that none of you asked me this. Then again, why should I expect either such foolish, short-lived mortals or you, who have oats instead of brains, to think of such a thing but… Have you not wondered how survived? How I even got to Midgard in the first place? Indeed, here's another pressing question; How did I get an entire army as well as that delightful toy that I used on your little bow-man?"

At that Thor's eyes widened and he turned around to face his brother.

"What?" he asked. "You…?"

Loki grinned at the flummoxed expression on Thor's face

"How… How _did_ you get to earth?" Thor asked. Now that he thought about it, those were all… very good questions.

Instead of answering, Loki merely poked out his tongue at Thor like a child who'd gotten his way.

"LOKI!" Thor all but roared as he ran back to the cell. He reached between the bars and grabbed onto the front of Loki's armor. "Whose army were you controlling?!"

Loki just grinned at him, ignoring the tight grip on his chest armor and holding up his bound hands.

"You really believe that I'm going to tell you?" he asked, again sounding nothing but amused with Thor's antics. "Perhaps you might simply remember that, if I'm dead, then I definitely won't be able to tell anyone the answer to that question. I'll give you a little hint though. _Someone_ has had eyes on your precious 'Earth' for a while now. Someone who isn't me."

"Who?" Thor asked, shouted really, as he hoisted Loki up from the ground. "WHO?!"

Loki only laughed. Thor seethed as he let his brother go, realizing he probably wasn't going to get any more information out of Loki at this time. Thor turned around and left the area, neither being called back nor looking back. Once again, Loki had managed to turn the situation on its' head with only a few clever words. Loki might well be a prisoner, but he had a trump card that assured his own safety.

 

* * *

 

Thor approached Odin and Frigga shortly after his confrontation with Loki. He informed them of what they'd spoken of. The information made Odin frown, but he still showed no other emotion as he listened. Frigga in turn looked openly concerned.

"Father, please. We are honor bound to protect Midgard," Thor said in conclusion. "We need Loki to tell us the truth. As such, I believe that… execution should _not_ be considered when addressing Loki's crimes. There must be another way."

"Odin will _not_ be executing his own son!" Frigga stated firmly from her spot next to Odin, she then turned to glare at her husband. A glare which was only ever rarely seen, but it was one that did not tolerate objections or excuses.

Odin though remained seemingly untouched by Thor's plea for his brother's life.

"Has Loki spoken of who it was that threatens earth?" he asked.

"No Father, but I do believe that there is someone behind this. Of that I am sure," Thor stated, his voice passionate with the hope that he could save Loki. " _Someone_ who owns an army far larger than troops that Loki controlled. Any General would not send his entire army to battle whilst being led by a stranger. Those that we fought were likely to have been mindless grunts and Loki… a scapegoat. Perhaps he was a willing scapegoat, but I believe that he was being used."

Frigga glanced down, her expression both pained and thoughtful.

"What is on your mind, my Queen?" Odin asked, able to read his wife's mood easily enough to know that she'd noticed something.

"From our perspective Loki has been gone for only a year's time," Frigga started carefully. "How-ever as I gazed upon him… yes, I am sure of it. He was many years older than when I saw him last. In the Void, 'Time' is relative. The Loki before us now is not the same Loki whom let go of the Bifrost bridge a year ago. He has been through much."

Thor closed his eyes and swallowed roughly at what his Mother was saying. How long had his brother truly been gone? He looked up again, meeting his Mother's pained eyes.

"Loki did tell me that," he said softly. "He said that he has wandered across many worlds. Seen things which would be beyond my own comprehension… He claimed that these experiences had allowed him to grow."

"And grown he has," Odin agreed, though his tone was still void of emotion. "He has grown more cunning and even more dangerous."

Thor closed his eyes again, the hope in his heart guttering like a fire about to be extinguished.

"Odin," Frigga looked at her husband a frown on her lips.

"I must think," Odin stated firmly. "And then I shall hear from Loki himself."

 

* * *

 

It was quite the scene; Loki was bound in chains wrapped around both his legs and arms, facing Odin, Frigga and Thor. His movement was so limited that he had to be held up by Asgardian warriors and yet Loki didn't seem bothered at all. Instead, he was smiling up at Odin amusement and challenge shining in his eyes.

"Loki," Odin said in greeting, his one bright eye narrowed on the recalcitrant form of his son.

"Odin," Loki replied, tone genial despite the look in his eyes.

"My son. What have you done?" Odin finally asked.

At that Loki scowled, the mask of amusement gone.

"We are not kin," he firmly stated in a cold tone.

Frigga couldn't help but glance away by those words, a wounded expression in her eyes.

"I am giving you a chance to show regret," Odin stated firmly. "You have caused the death of many people, both of Jotunheim and Midgard. What have you to say for yourself?"

Loki's scowl deepened, his glaring at Odin's form. He did not speak.

"So then, you refuse to answer me?" Odin asked.

"Why should I respond to _that_ kind of a question from _you_ of all people in the Nine-Realms?" Loki asked coldly. "I may have killed hundreds, true. You however, you killed _billions_!"

At that harsh outburst, Odin's one eye widened.

"You warred against Dark-elves. You warred against the Jotunn's. You even warred against the Kronan's," Loki casually counted his fingers. His tone turned mocking. "The grandest Warlord of the Nine-Realms. _Conqueror,_ I name thee! And then _I_ try to conquer one measly little planet, this is what I get?"

Odin was clearly furious with his son's words. Even Frigga's hand upon his own was doing little to calm his growing ire.

"Humans kills thousands of their own, did you know that? Every single day people die mindless deaths that could be avoided. What's a few hundred lives to save the remaining billions living there?" Loki asked, spreading his hands as wide as he could given the chains wrapped around his wrists. "They could use the guidance if you ask me."

"QUIET!" Odin demanded, standing and slamming his staff against the ground. "Your arrogance has shown that you know _nothing_! You have learned nothing!"

"Father," Thor spoke up softly, recognizing that Loki's words had managed to get to even Odin. Loki's words were not randomly spoken. They were calculated and aimed at what would hurt those around him the most.

Odin seemed to realize this as well. He calmed down and took a breath before letting it out and reclaiming his seat on the throne.

"Loki… You _are_ my son and I wish to give you a chance to atone. You can start by telling us this; Who send you?" he asked. "Whose army were you using to stage your attack on Midgard?"

Once more, Loki merely grinned at the question being asked. Frigga looked to the side and then sighed before she looked back up at her son.

"Loki… You are also _my_ son," she said softly. "Don't think that I can't see through your masks."

Loki's grin twisted into a sneer and he shifted slightly.

"Something has you scared. You can speak my dear child, what is wrong?" Frigga asked and Loki growled in response.

"I fear _nothing_!" Loki stated, holding his head up proudly even as his hands clenched into fists.

Such a strong reaction though, told a different story and Frigga smiled. She was satisfied that she could still read him this much.

Odin's gaze remained harsh, even though he now saw what Frigga had noticed.

"You walked worlds and brought death, destruction and chaos where ever you went," he said firmly. "You understand that you could be facing your execution for your deeds?"

Loki laughed uproariously at the All-Father's words.

"You think that is funny?" Odin asked, both incredulous and enraged by the outburst.

"No! I have no doubt you would _love_ to see me dead and gone," Loki said with a cold grin and a glance at Thor. "Why do you think I kept my bargaining tool to myself? Just goes to prove my point, doesn't it? My so-called brother and I were never the same in your eyes were we?"

Odin's eye narrowed at the accusation.

"I gave you the same opportunists. The same chances," he said. "Either of you could have become King through merit and deed."

"LIES!" Loki seethed, eyes wild. "I may be known as the God of Mischief and Deception but you? Odin, _you_ are the King, the God, of _Liars_! You were never going to pick me. Does Thor even know the truth of the wars you fought? The people you killed or order killed? And what? You thought you could atone by picking up the little Jotun baby and taking it in? And now, whoopsie, that baby isn't what you wished it to be. It's time to cast it into a big hole or kill it! That's how you deal with your problems isn't it? Just put them where you can't see them or destroy them."

Odin was clearly fuming. Lightning nearly seemed to be leaking out of his very being and Loki smirked coldly, knowing he had hit the blow that he'd wished to land. Loki was being cruel but… Thor shook his head. Odin's earlier words had sparked a painful memory and Loki's words now...?

"Father," Thor stepped forward, towards his brother, before turning to look at Odin. "Loki… has a point."

"Dare you speak out against..." Odin started, but Thor held up a hand in an effort to calm his Father. Odin nodded after a moments stiff silence for Thor to continue.

"I… I myself nearly started a war between Jotunheim and Asgard. I know now in my hubris that millions would have died had I succeeded in my efforts. Hundreds still did die. Loki's crimes are not that much worse than my own," Thor stated, humbled by those deeds. He held his hands together, then pulled them apart, lifting one then the other before leveling them side-by-side. "Father… our crimes are nearly equal. No. Not nearly. They _are_ equal. Please, if we are truly equal in your eyes, the same chances, the same opportunities, then our punishments should be equal as well, should they not?"

Loki froze at Thor's words, his eyes going wide.

"No… Don't you dare suggest such a thing," he seethed, the words hissing from between Loki's teeth. Thor turned to him, a small smile filled playing over his lips.

"Oh, what's this then?" Thor asked lightly, ignoring the racing of his heart and the hope that, perhaps, he had lit on the way to save and redeem his dear brother. "Does the thought of living like a Midgardian for a while have you more scared than the thought of prison?"

Loki almost snarled, wrenching himself free of the guard's hands and stalking several steps towards Thor before they could restrain him.

"If you think I would ever lower myself to-" he started only to be cut off.

"So, this then would be the greatest punishment for you?" Odin asked in a conversational tone. Loki turned his head to the side, suddenly realizing his mistake in falling for his br- _Thor's_ taunting. "I see, I see."

Odin leaned back in his throne, amusedly stroking his beard. He turned to look at his wife and raised a brow at her. Frigga frowned and remained silent for a few moments, but finally nodded her consent. Odin turned back to look at his wayward son, the flicker of a smile on his lips.

"No," Loki breathed out when he looked forward and saw their expression. "You cannot do this!"

"Can't I? Let it be known by all that I am not an unfair man. For an equal crime, there will be an equal punishment," Odin stated as he leaned forward, his eyes going cold and serious. "My son, your crimes are against _two_ different realms to Thor's one. Thus, you may choose between them Loki. Shall I return you to your Jotunn form and send you to reside on Jotunnheim? Or shall I give you mortal form and send you to Midgard?"

Loki scowled at the supposedly 'fair' offer.

"Fear not, it shall only be until you proof yourself worthy once more to walk these halls," Odin commented, fully amused by Loki's sulking. "Though something tells me that you will not learn the lesson quite as quick as Thor did."

"You do realize the Midgardian's wish to see me dead, don't you? And that I killed Laufey?" Loki asked in a tone void of emotion once more. "Sending me either place is its' own death sentence. You might as well cut me down now."

"I'll allow you to choose a different form for Midgard," Odin stated as he leaned back. "However, this form will be permanent until you proof yourself worthy. And as for Jotunheim? I trust your obvious true species and silver tongue will help you convince them you are not the King-slayer. I'll assure that you blend in regardless. We can of course discuss other arrangements, if you would but tell us what you know."

Loki fumed but held his tongue. Then he changed form. It wasn't a massive change in truth, but it was just enough so that he no longer looked like the same person. His hair went from raven-black to brown and short. His skin from ghostly-white to having somewhat of a tan. His overall build remained tall and slender, with a rather handsome visage, but not too handsome. No need to attract unwanted attention. Only his eyes remained the same shining green, as if to mock any passerby who would see him and not recognize him.

"Ah I see, you have chosen Midgard. This is a wise choice," Odin nodded in satisfaction.

"It wasn't a _choice_ at all was it?" Loki spat out, his new visage twisting with anger and scorn. "So then, you _are_ going to seal my magic I assume. What about my strength?"

"Your strength will be reduced to match that of an Midgardian," Odin replied and Loki growled.

"Will you have me age like one to then?" Loki asked in a mocking tone.

"No, you are on Midgard to be taught a lesson, not to die. Your lifespan will remain the same. Be aware however, that you can be killed, so be wary," Odin advised in a solemn tone. "And of course, if you would change your mind and will tell us what you know… there will be room for negotiation. Any time you wish to speak, call upon Heimdal. He will respond to you."

Loki though clearly wasn't biting at the chance to avoid the punishment. Odin nodded his head and continued.

"Heimdal will keep a close eye on you, but you are not allowed to leave the realm until you proof yourself worthy," Odin informed him sternly. "Know this, if you harm the humans, or cause them to start a war, you _will_ face execution. Regardless of what Frigga says. You are _not_ to harm as much as a single human, directly or indirectly."

"Oh, so you _will_ keep watch over me like a dog," Loki smirked. "Fine then. I'll play your game."

"This is no game Loki," Odin stated firmly.

Loki just gave him those mischievous eyes as if saying… 'whaaaat?' while putting a finger on his lip. Even wearing the visage of a different man, it was still so clearly Loki. Then suddenly, a glow spread across Loki.

"Ahh… AAAARRRHHH!" he growled out as he fell to his knees.

Odin's eye was fastened on him in a harsh glare as he mumbled, one hand reaching out towards his wayward son as he cast the spell to remove Loki's magic and limited his strength.

Loki snarled, braced as he was with his hands on the ground. He twisted and turned where he knelt, but he refused make another sound of pain. Struggled to fight against the magic being cast.

"You… old _fool_ ," he hissed out between clenched teeth, only to suddenly jerk backwards as the spell overwhelmed him. "ARGH!"

Thor had to turn his head away. Had to fight his instincts to go help his brother.

Then, just as abruptly as it had started, Loki was still and the glow vanished completely. Loki slowly lifted his head and frowned in annoyance as he reached forward a hand to cast a spell… Nothing happened.

He closed his eyes, trying to call upon the simplest of spells and, yet again, there was nothing.

"Your magic has been sealed away," Odin informed him, letting his hand fall back to the arm of his throne. "Your connection to the magic flowing through the world, through your veins, has been cut. So too has your strength been stripped from you and your connection to the realms severed. Were any to look upon you, they would see naught but another Midgardian."

"And now you are going to confine me to the mudball they so un-imaginatively call 'Earth'? It is a bigger prison but a prison still. Very well then. It does sound more entertaining than remaining in the dungeons of Asgard," Loki commented in an amused tone. His tone shifted to one of seeming innocence. "Why, I might even run into some of Thor's friends."

"You are _not_ to harm a human. Remember that," Thor warned Loki in a threatening tone. "And _they_ may not know what you look like now, but I do! Give me a reason to do so and I will inform them of the situation!"

Loki chuckled and waved one bound hand dismissively.

"Oh, how _amusing_ you are Thor," he stated. "As if I honestly care about any of them."

He turned back to Odin even as Thor clenched his hands in frustration.

"Well then, shall we begin?" he asked holding his chained hands forward. "I am quite bored of this farce."

Odin frowned as he stood up, stepping away from his throne and walking forward until he stood directly in front of Loki.

"You shall not return until you have proven yourself worthy," he stated firmly, though his voice had soften perhaps a touch. "Do you have anything you wish to say before you leave?"

"What in the Nine-Realms could I possibly have to say?" Loki asked with a dark chuckle.

"You are standing in the same room as your mother, father and brother," Odin pointed out. "It may be hundreds of years before you will see any of us again. And yet you have nothing you wish to say?"

Loki's eyes turned as hard as emeralds.

"I am standing in the room with three _strangers_ ," he replied, his cold eyed focused on Odin's face. "Let me assure you of this old man, when I let go of Bifrost I had no plans to return here. _Ever!_ So, do as you will. Send me away. It suits me just fine to think that I will never have to see you again."

Thor looked down once more. He could not deny that Loki's words hurt, a lot, and he knew that had been Loki's intention. What hurt the most was seeing their own mother having to turn her head to hide her tears.

"Very well then," Odin stated, what softness which might have been in his voice was gone. "This is what you have chosen. Farewell, my son."

Odin then placed a hand on Loki's chest and he seemed to disappear in a flash of light. Thor knew very well what was happening now; Loki was being thrust across all of the Nine-Realms towards his new 'home'. His new 'prison'.

Towards Midgard.


	2. First day on Midgard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

_Falling… Forever falling…_

_He'd been falling now for what seemed like an eternity. There were no sounds. There was no air to breath._ _Nothing to reach out towards to grab onto and stop his unending descent._

_There was nothing but Darkness…_

_Eventually, though he could not see them, he started to hear the growling of **beasts**. The monsters that lurked in the deepest depths of the void. They echoed from both beneath him and from above._

_As he fell, he would often wish that one of those monsters would find him. Find him and end his miserable existence… end the mind-numbing Nothingness._

_How long had he been falling now...?_

_Weeks? Months? **Years**? There was no way to tell here. There was no bright light of a sun rising and falling to tell the days apart. No conversation to distract his mind. There was nothing underneath him to end his long fall… _

_Nothing._

_That Nothingness was crushing him, both his body and mind…_

_Still, in the face of it all, he did not regret the events that had led him to this point._

_If he had allowed Thor to pull him up, then he would have been put on trial at once. He would have, more than likely, been locked away without a key or executed. If he let go of Thor's hand then...? Well. In truth, it would not have mattered either way. Why would it? Life as he had known it was over all the same. At least this way... **he** had the final say in what his fate was to be.  
_

_He would not give **Odin** that satisfaction. If his life was going to end, then at least he could say that it was by his own hand… his own choice. Odin would have no power over him. Not anymore.  
_

_None of them did. His final act had been the epitome of that belief. His choice meant that they would no longer be control his fate. Only he would. Only his, **Loki's** , will mattered._

_He would not allow himself to be controlled like that agai-_

_Suddenly a deep voice boomed, filling the air around him and drowning out the distant, hungry cries of the monsters in the Dark._

_"What is this? A falling Godling?"_

_Loki's eyes widened and he could have sworn that he felt that person **reaching** for him. He knew that voice. He knew that **presence.** No! He would not allow himself to be controlled. _

NO! _Loki thought as he twisted about._ No, you wont control me this time. Never again will you control me _**THANOS**_!

 

* * *

 

Loki's body hit earth in a crashing, disorienting impact that left him stunned while also pulling him back to the 'now'. A rain of bricks and dust fell across him and he groaned. As he laid on his back, he found himself bitterly wondering why the impact hadn't killed him. It would have killed a _regular_ Midgardian after all.

"Urghh..." he groaned, trying to blink away the dust that obscured his vision.

Slowly, as the dust started to settle, Loki tried to take in his immediate surroundings. He was surrounded by rubble and not just that which was from his own impact. The area was far too big to have been caused just by _him_. As his vision finally cleared, he saw the massive sky scrapers towering above him. The windows that still remained glistened in the bright sunlight, though many of them were broken from a fight. A fight which had taken place only a few short days prior to his graceless landing.

 _Great… New York,_ Loki thought bitterly to himself. _It's just like Odin to add an additional layer of tedious punishment to this farce by dropping me right into the heart of the battlefield. I bet it was an attempt to have me see the damage I'd caused for myself up close so that I can feel 'guilty' about it. Well, too bad **Odin No-One's-Father**. I don't feel any guilt!_

Slowly Loki sat up, taking note that his body was sore and protested any movement after the fall. He was about to throw a few curses Odin's way for putting him through such humiliation when he heard voices.

"It came from over there!" a male voice shouted.

The dust was still thick enough that he could not see who was coming, but he knew he shouldn't allow himself to be seen by them just yet. Slick as a cat, Loki got to his feet and ran the opposite direction of the voices until he found a pile of debris large enough to shield him. He caught his breath, annoyance filling him that he had to even do such a thing.

He heard voices draw nearer as the people approached the crater that had been created by his fall.

"Was... was that crater there before?" a man asked, confusion ringing clearly in his tone.

"I have no idea. There's were way too many craters made cause of all that damned fighting," another man replied.

"Yeeeah… this _does_ look like something that could have been made by the HULK," the first one admitted. "It's definitely big enough."

"The HULK… you don't think...?" the second one asked, his voice suddenly sounding tense. Loki could practically picture the Midgardian looking around fearfully.

"Don't be stupid man," came the frustrated response. "SHIELD is keeping him under observation. Even _if_ Mr. Stark is insisting on housing him in his own tower. You know well that, if the HULK was loose, we would be _notified_."

Loki glanced from behind the rubble and caught a glimpse of several men. Each one was in some kind of uniform and all of them were wearing armbands with the S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia design sewn into them. They also had those odd little ear-pieces in their ears. Loki recognized them as tools that Midgardian's used to communicate with each other across long distances from the time he was using the Bow-man and the other Agents. Loki turned away from the group and looked for a way out of the area. A brief examination of the area showed that it had been evacuated and closed off. He had to get out of here, but how to do so without his magic?

Loki glanced down at himself and grimaced. He was still wearing the same clothes as when he attacked New York. Like that wasn't a dead give-away as to who he was.

 _Damn you to **Hel** Odin,_ Loki snarled mentally. _You said you were going to make sure that I blended in. This is **not** 'blending in'!_

Sighing softly enough not to be heard, Loki pulled off the outer layer of his outfit which was comprised mostly of his leather armor, what could essentially be considered a coat in leather by the Midgardian's, the chest piece beneath it and his wrist cuffs. All of them were dropped to the ground in a careless heap until Loki was left in a simple black tunic that was only there to protect his skin from being chaffed by the armor. Even Asgardian skin would succumb to harsh things such as leather or iron rubbing constantly against bare skin.

Loki looked himself over once more and nodded to himself. Black tunic, leather pants and leather boots. Passable for Midgard standards. Loki then examined his hands, which were still long and slender but now had a tan to them, before looking up at his reflection in a broken window. He nodded again in self-satisfaction. He had chosen his form very carefully indeed. From past experiences, Loki knew that being in a form too different from his true-self for too long would be unsettling, if not difficult to function in, so he had ensured that his temporary form had a very similar body type and mass to it compared to his original self. Changing one's hair and skin color was an easy way to throw people off to, and he had deliberately chosen the most common hair color for Midgardian's. Not to mention a very common skin color. His usual ghostly, pale skin would stand out, so having a tanned complexion would be perfectly normal for Midgard.

His eyes though? The color was something that he would keep. Eyes that spoke of who and what he truly was; a secret hiding in plain sight. Free for anyone to see, yet he was certain that they would not be smart enough to figure said secret out.

He'd had to tone down his features. At least somewhat. Good looks would help you get ahead in any of the Nine Realms, it was true, however having _too_ perfect a face would garner unwanted attention. Something that he would rather avoid for the time being.

Finally the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents behind him seemed to have decided that the noise of his landing was likely nothing more than surrounding rubble collapsing. They moved back to whatever it was that they had been doing before and Loki was left in silence. He turned to a large stone beside him and tilted his head as he looked it over. A stone like that would have been easy for him to lift just a few scant hours ago.

Loki frowned as he put his hands on it, getting a good grip. He then started to pull, to lift the damned thing. Nothing happened. It didn't even budge an inch. He started to hiss through his teeth as he put his back into it, but the stone remained hopelessly stuck as if to spite him. Loki let go with a snarl, stumbling a bit by the loss of a counter balance point.

He seethed in annoyance even as he swiped at his mouth with a sleeve. He was pathetically _weak_ right now. Dammit. And Damn Odin again for good measure.

Loki turned away from the useless rock and started out of the area. As he neared the outer perimeter he frowned, once more annoyed by the situation that he was in. The _entire area_ was closed off by a massive fence and there were S.H.I.E.L.D. agents _everywhere._ They were probably there to ensure that no one tried to sneak in. The problem was that Loki needed to sneak _out_!

 _Great, just **wonderful**!_ Loki thought to himself with a sneer. _I know just what this is now. Odin wants to make sure that I follow his little rule about not hurting his precious Humans._ _Well fine then!_

Loki looked over his own body and found several scrapes and blue bruise-marks dotting his form, both from his previous fight and his current fall. Given that some were faded and some fresh why... This was good indeed! He was also covered in dirt, dust and sweat which, while beneficial for the now and then, he intended to wash away the first chance he got. He leaned forward, hunching in on himself as if in barely tolerable agony. He then let out a haggard breath and focused on keeping his breathing uneven. Strained. He needed it to sound like he was having trouble breathing. Allowing his leg to drag behind him, as if it was barely holding his weight, he started to walk forward.

Or rather… he drag himself forward.

At first, no one seemed to notice his approach. Suddenly a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent turned his head and yelled out at his approaching form.

"HALT!" the man shouted, hand on his weapon. "Who's there! Identify yourself!"

At that Loki suppressed the urge to smile and held up a hand imploringly. He kept his gaze unfocused, as if he were not fully aware of his surroundings.

"Help… Help me," he said in a weak voice. He stumbled, catching himself on some debris and then started to cough.

He certainly was making a big show of it.

More S.H.I.E.L.D. agents became aware of his presence. Several were eyeing him warily with their guns aimed at him. Others were taking in his battered looking form, a wary kind of concern filling their eyes.

"He… heeeeelp," Loki groaned out and then let himself fall to the ground.

It had the desired effect, as yelps of concern sounded from several throats and once voice in particular boomed out over the others.

"OH MY GOD! It's a survivor!" the voice cried out, both shock and an odd kind of joy in their voice. "Everyone! Lower your weapons!"

The next thing he knew, several agents had rushed towards him. One got to him ahead of the others and waved the rest back. Another approached, rapidly dropping to his knees to look him over.

"Give the man some space! Back up and keep watch!" the standing man barked out.

"Sir… SIR!" the man next to him practically yelled. "Can you hear me? Can you understand me?!"

Loki groaned low, making a show out of how difficult it seemed to be to open his eyes as he looked upwards. His gaze focused on the worried-looking man.

"Wa… Water...?" he asked in a plaintive voice.

The man turned his head and called over his shoulder.

"Anyone got water on them?!"

"I GOT SOME!" another voice shouted. There was a bit of movement before the kneeling man opened the bottle and pressed it towards Loki's lips.

"Don't worry sir," the man said in a soothing voice. "We'll get you some help! Just hang on okay?!"

Loki drank the water offered to him as if he were parched. It may have been water that he didn't actually need at the moment, but needs must to keep up his little charade.

"Where did you come from?" the standing man asked.

"Tra… trapped. I was... trapped. Couldn't… get out… couldn't," Loki hissed out between his teeth before letting his eyes go wide, wet and earnest. "Maria! Where is Maria? Is she safe?"

The sudden looks on the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents faces were pale and filled with horror. Priceless really.

"Sir… I... I'm sorry. We can't tell you that right now," the agent holding the bottle said. "However, we can get you to people who can help you, alright?"

"Maria... she has to be alright. She's... she's," Loki continued with wet eyes, tempted to let a few tears fall to add to the drama. "We... we're going to the beach next month and... and I made it out... so we could go to the beach together like I promised. I kept my promise... Right?"

Several of the agents nearby looked absolutely heart-broken. Two more came running over with a stretcher held between them and they lowered it next to Loki's seemingly prone form.

"It's alright buddy, it'll be alright," a nearby agent agent said softly, obviously barely keeping back his own tears. "You made it. We're going to get you help now. I'm... I'm sure Maria is looking forward to that beach trip with you."

Loki nodded and let out a weakly muttered, "Yeah..."

Although it was a little annoying, he allowed several hands to get him up on the stretcher. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents merrily carried him outside of their little barricade. It was all nice and safe. No risk involved for anyone. He even allowed them to carry him over to what looked like a safe house where several other wounded from the incident were laying down resting and all had been bandaged up as much as possible. More people came over, insisting that he drink a little more water and eat a thin porridge, 'slowly now!'. All this while also assuring him that a doctor would be with him 'very soon!' They seemed to be short staffed. A fact which suited Loki just fine.

Once he was finally left alone in the room, well, alone with only the wounded who weren't even remotely paying attention to him, he stood up and glanced over his shoulder as he walked to the window and opened it up.

"Thanks for the lift," he said with a sneering sarcastic laugh in his voice.

He jumped out of the building and walked away from the safe shelter with hands in his pockets.


	3. Monster in the alleyway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Loki looked at a big screen suspended over the city, a frown marring his face. An image of his own face was currently being featured on the big screen, his real self that is, with black hair and pale skin wearing his old Asgardian armor that he'd just recently abandoned. The image showed him standing on top of the Stark tower, hoisting his staff high while a bunch of text scrolled by beneath the moving image. As he tracked the words rolling by, he realized that they covered all kinds of news from Midgard. Most of it looked boring.

Scratch that. _All_ of it looked boring.

There was no sound to accompany the images on the screen, sadly, so he had to make due with watching the changing images. Images that would go back to himself with high frequency. The others featured most often were Tony Stark, Bruce Banner and Steven Rogers. Oddly enough, the red-haired woman who had tricked him into sharing information and the guy with arrows that had been one of his first pawns seemed to be mysteriously missing from the little roster on the screen.

Reading the text may have been dull, but Loki was able to garner _some_ information from the mess. Bruce Banner had been pardoned due to his heroics in the New York incident. What he needed to be pardoned _for_ , was not something they listed. Some guy called Lieutenant Ross certainly wasn't happy about it from the looks of things. A captioned video of him looking apoplectic played, with him viciously calling the HULK a high level threat to society. Honestly, it was rather hard to disagree with that one given Loki's first-hand experience with the brute.

Loki frowned as he brought a cold sandwich to his mouth, taking a decent bite before he slowly chewed said food. Something else that he'd found that he had to deal with in this form was hunger. Now Loki had only very rarely felt hunger in his life, both because he'd been raised as a Prince and due to Asgardian/Jotun natures. They didn't need as much food as Midgardians did. In fact, he usually only ate because it was necessary to do so to stay sharp and aware. Further more, food fueled his magic so it was common sense to eat if he was planning on using a lot of magic in a short amount of time. Because of their better natures, it wasn't an absolute must to eat at all times.

Now though? He started to feel pathetically weak if he didn't eat. Not even three hours after his arrival and he'd started to light-headed with his stomach voicing those odd-sounding complaints.

 _So this is hunger?_ he'd thought to himself in annoyance. _And these humans feel like this all the time? How inconvenient._

Thankfully, food had been easy enough to come by. Several tents had been put up to aid victims from the New York incident. Lines of people had formed in front of said tents and those in line were offered free food and water. Not the highest quality of food, but food none-the-less. All Loki had to do was to join one the many lines.

That was not all to find in amongst the tents. There were also huge containers filled with donated clothes for the self same victims. There were people trying to sort said clothes into different categories as they handed them out; sizes, color, etc. Once again, all Loki had to do was join a line, play his part as a down trodden victim and he was walked off with at least one full set of Midgardian clothes.

He couldn't say he was particularly fond of them though. Rough pants which the Midgardians called 'jeans', a black t-shirt that was scratchy and… the people handing things out had called it a hoodie? Regardless, the clothing served its' purpose of allowing him to blend in further still amongst the masses. The coat he had managed to snag on top of all the rest was at least dignified, a long and simple black thing that had _some_ class to it.

He would simply have to acquire different clothes at a later time. For now though, he needed to ensure he had the basic things he needed for survival, namely food and shelter. _Then_ he could see about obtaining clothes that he actually might find acceptable to his standards.

Shelter was an easy thing to acquire at least. Loki could once again simply join the refuges as multiple tents had been put up in the local park making a 'tent city'. Blankets were handed out to anyone who asked in order to protect from the nights chill. Loki couldn't exactly say that he was a fan of the idea of sleeping back to back with all the Midgardian's, but the idea of sleeping outside in the cold when he was as vulnerable to the weather as such weaklings was ill-advised. For now, it was convenient to huddle up for warmth with the rest.

As he laid there one night, he heard a mother nearby talking to a child held close in her arms. She kept whispering that it was going to be okay, that they would find a new place to stay soon and they were just having an 'adventure' sleeping outside. Loki wondered if this was also something that Odin had intended for him to see. Was he supposed to feel _sorry_ for these people now? Just because he was laying right next to them?

If that was the plan, why then, he must say that the Old Man failed in his mission. At most, Loki felt very annoyed over the constant sobbing and yammering going on around him. Clearly these people were fine. They were fed, clothed and had shelter as well! He just wished they would be _quiet_ already so he could _get some **sleep**!_

It was a pity that Midgard had grown a lot more complicated than it had been in the past. Loki couldn't just dig up a jewel and buy a house by the coast these days. No… The stupid Midgardians needed _more_. He would have to forge an entire identity proving that he was one of them just to get a place to live! Absolutely fantastic. And before he could even start doing _that_ , he'd found out that he would need money to pay for said new identity. Which led back to the fact that it would have been a whole lot easier to _get_ money if he had an identity in the first place.

A Catch-twenty-two as the Midgardian's called it.

Bloody nuisance was what it was!

Loki grumbled in annoyance at seeing the footage of himself for the fifth time and took another bite of his sandwich. Honestly. It was just the same damned thing over and over on a loop! All he had learned from watching that foolish contraption was that he was 'evil', the Avengers were 'heroes' and something called Coca Cola somehow made people and white bears sing and dance.

Loki turned away from the screen as he finished his sandwich and carelessly threw the wrapper away over his shoulder as he walked, ignoring the tired and disgruntled sounding 'hey!' as the trash hit someone. He had more important things to do.

Well... For now anyway, he just needed to find a way to obtain a bit of pocket money. He could worry about obtaining larger sums of cash later on. And really, what better way to obtain something that to take it from the undeserving? With that in mind Loki smirked briefly before he turned to walk down an alleyway, the really dark and dirty kind, as he purposely moved toward the cheaper parts of town.

Thanks to Odin's ruling, he wasn't allowed to harm humans. But surely there were exceptions to that rule? Self-defense was always an honorable recourse to fall back on, was it not?

In the end, putting his plan into motion was way too easy. Humans were pathetically predictable.

A young guy, just a kid really with skin as dark as coffee and hair as black as Loki's true hair color had been, stepped out in front of Loki with a gun in hand.

"Yo! What ya doing or our turf?!" the boy asked as more kids joined him. All of them were wearing hoodies and bagged pants that looked as ragged as the rest of the refugees in the area.

"Don't you know this turf is ours?!" another shouted more than asked while wearing an expression that was likely _meant_ to be intimidating, but to Loki the boy merely looked constipated.

Loki smirked briefly in amusement, but said smirk was swiftly replaced by a terrified looking expression as he held up his hands.

"I… I didn't know," he stammered in a frightened voice. "I just… I was lost!"

"Well then," the kid with the gun waved it at him with a mocking grin. "I'll cut ya a deal; ya give us your money and you ain't gonna be hurt!"

"I… I have no money," Loki informed them in a 'shaking' voice. It helped that he was telling the truth, the best lies always carried a kernel of truth in them after all. "Please, I don't want any trouble. Listen, just let me go and no one will have to be hurt."

"You bet ya," the second one laughed. "If we _did_ let you go that is, but we wont. If ya can't give us money, your the one'll get hurt."

The boy grinned coldly and pulled out a knife that had been tucked away in the back of his pants. Surprisingly, the blade was a long looking dagger. Didn't most Human's carry those weak little things called 'switchblades'? He'd seen a few refugees using them as tools or utensils to eat their food so it was a little odd to see a full on dagger.

Loki's eyes lingered on the dagger for a moment more before he turned his attention back to the faces of such foolish children.

"Listen," Loki stated in a clear voice, tilting his head up slightly so that Heimdall could easily read his lips. "I don't want any trouble. Put those weapons away and no one will have to be hurt."

At that the group of kids all laughed, sharing various looks of incredulity at his bravado. Given their numbers, it was obvious that they thought they had the advantage over him. Poor delusional little fools. Numbers didn't mean everything and they were about to learn that the hard way.

"Well, this sure ain't your lucky day," a kid stated aiming his gun at Loki rather than continue to wave it around threateningly.

Loki tilted his head as he looked at the Midgardian boy.

"I do believe that you have that backwards," he informed the kid in a bland tone.

The kid blinked in confusion at that. The lack of fear in Loki's tone and stance _should_ have warned him that something was up.

"What?" he asked rather simply.

He didn't get to say anything else as Loki _moved_. Fast as lightning, he was suddenly next to the kid. Loki's hand closed around the wrist of the hand holding the gun. Now Loki might not have his natural strength and magic, but that didn't mean that his skill at fighting had been reduced. His grip tightened around the boy's wrist, squeezing hard enough to make the kid yelp.

"Now look at what you made me do," he stated in a conversational tone as he twisted the kid's hand about, the movement forcing him to drop the gun.

The others let out startled yelps and there were abruptly several other guns pointed in Loki's direction. Rather than cower or attempt to flee from the new arsenal pointed his way, Loki licked his lips and chuckled. In the next moment he threw the kid at the others, who had foolishly stayed grouped together, causing most of them to fall down in a heap. He turned to the kid with the dagger and grinned coldly.

The kids eyes were wide with fear and even though the blade was still pointed at Loki, it was obvious that he was frozen in shock. The kid didn't move as Loki approached him and simply stood where he was was shaking in fear as he looked up at at the taller man.

"You're not even holding that right," Loki pointed out with an amused laugh. "Here, let me show you."

He grabbed the kids hand, twisted it around using the same move that he had used to disarm the other boy. The kid let out a yelp and paled with the knife switched hands so easily. Loki held the blade up, weighing it and feeling the grip.

"Nice balance, thanks. I'll be keeping this," he informed the kid as he slipped the blade into his belt. He then lifted his foot and kicked the boy right in the chest.

Loki grinned as he turned around, opening up the wallet that had 'found' its way to his hands while he dealt with the dagger-boy. He pulled out the cash inside and tossed the wallet carelessly on the ground.

"HEY!" the kid shouted, indignant that the tables had turned. "That's my money, you can't just...!"

Loki turned enough to look at him innocently over his shoulder.

"Why? You were fine taking _my_ money weren't you?" he asked as he pulled out a second wallet out of his coat pocket. The another kid that he'd disarmed let out a gasp and started to pad his pockets as he searched for the missing wallet, having not noticed Loki's slight of hand. "There's a saying where I come from, maybe you've heard it before; What comes around goes around."

He turned around, tossing the second wallet on the ground as he finished emptying it of its' monetary contents.

Suddenly a gun shot sounded through the air.

All fell quiet. Loki slowly turned his head to look behind him. One of the kids that still had a gun was standing with hands shaking...smoke was curling up from the gun's barrel.

"Oh dear foolish child," Loki started with a sigh and a shake of his head. When he looked up, his eyes were dark and deadly, "you shouldn't have done that."

All the kids gasped in startled fright. The fact that Loki hadn't even flinched was probably the most intimidating aspect of the situation. It took two long steps for Loki to reach the kid that had fired at him. He grabbed the collar of the boys shirt and hefted him up so suddenly that the boy dropped the gun in fright and screamed like a little child.

"It didn't need to reach this point you know," Loki sighed deeply. "I gave you a fair chance didn't I? If you had just left me alone when I asked."

He then reached out with his free hand, causing the boy to whimper and flinch in his grasp… only to pull out the kids wallet and put it into his own pocket. He lowered the kid down on the ground.

"Listen, I'll give you an advice," he started, giving the boy a grin. "When you are clearly out matched, don't be a hero… Just run."

He finally let go of the boy's collar and playfully gave the kid a condescending pat to the cheek.

"Now, now! No need to look so terrified. Not a single one of you are hurt!" he stepped back and stretched his arms out wide. "It's just a harmless little prank!"

All the kids were shivering, terrified and struck mute by the situation they'd found themselves in. Loki looked them over and his smirk widened.

"If you can't take the heat, don't walk into the fire," he said with an amused chuckle. "You'll never know what monsters you may encounter in a dark alleyway after all!"

The kids stayed silent and shaking. Loki turned towards the one he'd hefted up.

"Now… I gave you some advice. Did you learn from it?" Loki asked with a chuckle.

The kids shared a look and finally scrambled up onto their feet before running. They ran as fast as they could _away_ from Loki.

"Good choice," Loki smirked and then looked up. "Not a single one hurt Heimdall!"

There was no response verbally or mentally. There was no sudden, wrathful pain to knock him down. Well then. That meant his actions had been seen as acceptable. Loki smirked. He knew he shouldn't push it too far, but testing one's boundaries was always a good idea. He took the dagger back out and held in his hand to give it a closer look. Its' balance _was_ nice, but the blade itself was sadly dull.

"Tch," Loki muttered. "Learn how to take care of your tools."

He was annoyed by the look of the blade, but still put tucked the dagger into the inner pocket of his coat. The pocket already had a hole in it, so it worked well enough to conceal the long blade. He then pulled out the last wallet that he'd stolen and looked it over. The other two wallets had been made in some cheap fabric in abhorrent colors. This one though was made of brown leather and more to his taste. Satisfied with the look of it, he emptied out the useless items such as the plastic cards he had no use for and put the other money he had taken inside of it before tucking it away.

Well then... he had a bit of pocket money now. He probably shouldn't stretch his luck with this kind of trick though. Sooner or later Heimdall would start to consider it to be 'harming humans'. Even if it was for their own good to be taught a lesson. Then again, what else was he expected to do but essentially forage to survive? They couldn't _all_ just conveniently be picked up by a group of scientists willing to give you shelter and food like _Thor_.

Hel, if he had looked like _himself_ he would have had to be very careful to avoid being seen. His face was _everywhere_ in the city right now.

Why did Odin have to put him back _where the bloody staff was_?!

Not only that but... One of the most annoying things to remember about New York was that Loki had no idea which actions were _his a_ nd which actions had been the _staff's_ doing.

When Thanos had first offered him the deal, Loki had laughed. The idea of being someone else's pawn after what he'd been through? No. He would not succumb to such cheap temptation. He had spent his entire life being a slave to Odin's wishes and it was going to stop! He would serve no one but himself. That was what he had decided from the very moment he had let go of his staff at the Bridge! He had been determined, so determined to be his own person, that he had even refused Thanos's offer to save him from the void and then the blood-lust of his own children.

But the staff, the _staff_ had whispered sweet words in his ear. Shown him how great it would be to take over Midgard and rub it in Thor's face. It had played to Loki's own feelings, urging him to go and get the Tesseract. Even when the staff had been removed from his person, its' sweet whispers of greatness had persisted. Only when the Hulk had grabbed Loki and smashed him into the ground multiple times had the connection between them been broken. Yet... it was too late by then. Loki was neck deep in the battle and had to continue the charade or lose face.

It was frustrating… The entire incident may have been caused completely by his own will or maybe not at all. He didn't know.

But he sure as Hel wasn't about to let anyone _else_ know how uncertain he was.

He had spend his entire life being Odin's little pawn, groomed to be a sweet little Asgardian. Their little _toy_ … No, he would not admit that he had only shifted hands. And it wouldn't happen again. He would control his own life this time! In whatever way that he could, he would forge his own path and not be other people's pawn.

Not Odin's! Not Thor's! Not Thanos'!

They thought they could toy with him. Use him. They would learn. _All_ of them.

Loki looked up at the sky and frowned… Thanos was coming. He knew that, but when? How much time did he have to prepare and what could he even _do_ in his mortal form?

He would figure something out he decided. He would show them that he didn't need magic nor godhood to win. If all he had left was his wits and the non-magical skills that he had learned over the long years, then so be it.

It would have to be enough to show them he was in _no ones_ shadow.


	4. Toomes Salvage company

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

A few days had passed on at Midgard. Sadly, Loki was yet forced to scrape by for day to day necessities, but things _were_ getting easier for him.

He had found hostel that accepted cash and not just 'card'. It was not an ideal situation but it was a sight better than sleeping outside on the street or huddle amongst the masses in the tent cities. Small amounts of cash to pay for his room and food were easy enough to come by now, but continuing to commit small time robberies, mugging would-be muggers and the occasional pick-pocketing was not a viable solution for his long-term needs. Not only that, sooner or later he would be noticed.

And he could not afford that.

He had acquired more tasteful clothes as well; pants and waist coat in a soft brown fabric as well as a beige shirt. The outfit was topped off with a nice, long dark coat. To complete the image of Loki's new persona? A pair of glasses that rested gently on his nose. They were obviously fake glasses, as his vision lacked for nothing, but Loki had always liked to put on good act. Play a role to perfection, so to speak. Which was exactly why he hadn't gone for any of the colors that he normally favored. No dark greens nor black, just brown and beige. To be fair, it suited his current brown hair and less pale skin quite well.

Currently he found himself seated in one of those human coffee shops that served up a decent breakfast. A single cup of steaming hot coffee sat in front of him, as well as a plate containing two buttery croissants. It seemed to be the most favored thing to order at this location, thus Loki had ordered the same thing everyone favored so as not to stand out. He found the croissants enjoyable at least. The delicate nature of the food item was appealing to him. The coffee however was... bitter and nasty over all.

Still he swallowed the black liquid down, mimicking the Midgardians around him and not allowing the disdain to show on his face. It seemed to be a very common drink here on Midgard. That everyone would sit around and drink this nastiness in the morning baffled him to no end.

Regardless, it was not chance that brought Loki to this little shop, where he was seated facing the windows that showed the road outside. His eyes were lingering on the cars passing by, watching them with the patience of a hunter. He was waiting. Waiting because of something that had caught his interest. A specific truck would come from the former battleground and then go off somewhere else before then coming back again and again.

It was not a S.H.I.E.L.D. truck however, which was what interested him. The words on the side of the truck read instead as ' _Toomes salvage company'._

Loki couldn't help but smirk to himself the first time he had noticed the truck. The salvaging truck had interested him so he had carefully followed the path it had taken, getting closer and closer to figuring out its' ultimate destination. Did it go to and fro from the battlefield itself or did it instead go to the surrounding buildings that lay in ruins collecting mundane civilian items? Did the Humans realize what they might pick up like ravens haunting a bloody field? Did they _know_ that they could find Chitauri armor, weapons, communication devices and even advanced energy sources? And if that was indeed what this truck was doing?

Oh, but how very kind of the humans to pick up such treasures for him.

 _And there it is, right on time,_ Loki thought to himself as the truck in question drove past the little shop. When it took a turn down a blocked off road he had to fight back a smile. It was indeed heading for the battlefield, just as he had thought. Now that he had confirmed where they were going, where were they coming from? The truck had come from the south… but how _far_ south? All the way to the harbor perhaps?

Perhaps.

Loki's eyes drifted back to where the truck had vanished as he lifted the coffee cup and took another sip, letting the bitter taste linger in his mouth and on his tongue. He hid a wince and shook his head slightly as he glared down at the cup as if its' contents. Honestly, what did the Humans see in this beverage? He polished off the last croissant as he stood, but didn't bother to finish off the contents of the cup. He left change on the counter as a tip, a majority of others were doing the same, and then walked out with hands in his coat pockets.

The next day found Loki back at the spot where he'd first seen the vehicle. He followed the truck on its' return trip and lost it when he was close to the harbor. He chuckled to himself. This close to the harbor and he knew he'd been right yet again. Really, Humans were so predictable. It may have taken a couple of hours of searching, but finally he found what he was searching for... a big warehouse with the name _Toomes salvaging service_ written on the wall in big fat letters like they were _inviting_ Loki inside.

Oh how very, very kind of them. Should he expect a red carpet next?

Loki looked up at the sky, not towards anything in particular, it would just seem like he was enjoying the clear sunny day.

"Not hurting any humans," he said to the air, pointedly talking to Heimdall, and then turned back to look at the warehouse before walking around it looking for a way inside.

Gaining entrance to the building proved to be _way_ too easy for him, though that was probably because the items within were considered to be nothing more than just scrap and bits of trash. All he had to do was pick one of the many open windows and slip inside and... well then. It did indeed look like a trash heap inside. Everything that the Human's had picked up was just... just laying around in big piles or casually thrown across the warehouse to lay seemingly abandoned.

To Loki though? This was a treasure trove.

Loki smirked and pushed down the urge to laugh. Yes, his magic had been sealed, however his magical knowledge had not been. Perhaps here, in these piles of seeming useless scrap, there would be something useful to him. Oh, these foolish Humans didn't even know what they had available to them! The things they could build!

But Loki knew and he could, and _would_ , take whatever he found from them without them ever knowing! Loki's smirk widened.

This was far too easy.


	5. Robert

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small clarification if it isn't made clear. Yup, this is the crew introduced in "Spiderman homecoming." Adrian is the future vulture. I just changed the timeline to fit the story.
> 
> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Loki seethed in annoyance. Two months. He had been here _two months_ and all he had found was junk!

The salvaging crew had continued bringing in random stuff from the battle site and after a time spent sorting through the debris, they would dispose of most of it in ways that were considered safe. Well, most of it was disposed of. There was a single crew member that had horded various bits and pieces for himself and had thus gained Loki's interest. A man called Phineas Mason. Said individual had what looked like a little miniature lab set up within the warehouse and had started to poke and prod at the Chitauri pieces, mixing them with Earth technology.

The results had been interesting, yes, but were still only mere toys compared to what Loki was used to.

Loki _had_ started to consider the possibility of making his presence known to the workers. So far he had made sure that none of them salvaging crew could see him. For now though, he forced himself to calm. Though he'd not had any luck himself in finding what he wanted to build what he needed, he decided that he would continue to observe the group. Perhaps they would be useful to him in other ways.

Right on time, as per the usual over the past two months, the doors opened to make way for the truck. Loki slipped into his usual hiding place, a spot above and behind at the junk where they wouldn't even bother to look and took a big bite out of a hot pocket that he had stolen from the fridge.

He had to eat now after all and it was oh _so_ kind of the Midgardians to keep the 'fridge' stocked for him.

Just as he swallowed his bite, a huge shout followed by a loud ' _clang_ ' filled the air.

" _BASTARDS_!"

Loki fell completely silent. Why... _that_ was a different response than the usual call to get to work. The man's rage was almost palatable! His little group of Humans usually seemed rather happy whenever he had seen them. Apparently, from what he'd gleaned from prior conversations, they considered this job a big break for them. A 'windfall' or some such.

"Easy Adrian," Phineas spoke as he approached said individual. "Don't wanna break a toe kicking things now."

A bit of silence passed, relative silence really as he could hear the occasional muttering, and then another man by the name of Herman Schultz, a large man with dark skin, shouted. Familiar indignation rang through the building and Loki had to smile. This same incident had played out multiple times now. He leaned back to enjoy the little comedy skit that his presence, and subsequent food theft, had caused.

"Okay! Who the hell keeps taking my hot pockets?!" he exclaimed angrily and another 'slam' filled the air. "JACKSON!"

And Jackson groaned in response.

 _Right on time_ , Loki thought.

"Look, I told you once and I've told you a thousand times by now," by Loki's count he was only up to around a hundred-fifty actually, but he wouldn't hold an inability to count against the Midgardian, "I don't want to eat your stupid hot pockets! Those things are nasty! No one here wants to eat them except you!"

"Then explain how they keep on going missing!" Herman shouted back.

"Oh, that's easy; _**you** eat them_ you stupid idiot!" Jackson yelled back.

"THAT'S THE DAMN ISSUE! I _DON'T_ EAT THEM!" Herman shouted back and Loki chuckled, highly amused by the verbal conflict. He finished off the hot pocket in his hand without feeling even an ounce of guilt and then moved a little closer so he could get watch the group.

"Shut up, both of you," Adrian grumbled as he fell back against the couch, sinking into the old furniture with a growl.

He was clearly fuming as he reached for the remote to turn on the television. A news reporter popped up on the screen and it suddenly became clear as to _why_ the man was so upset. The salvaging crew, _Adrian's_ salvaging crew, had been laid off. The reporter quite happily continued on with the report, saying that Stark industry had taken over the clean up process. Some kind of joint effort program with the government to clean the area up faster and make the area habitable again. Adrian let out a snarl and stood just as suddenly as he'd sat down and started to pace around the area like a caged lion.

"Tch. And now _they_ get paid for cleaning up the very mess that they created," Randy commented from where he was sitting on a old, worn down arm chair.

"It's all rigged," Herman commented, still looking annoyed over his missing food… or being laid off. Probably a mix of both at this point in truth.

Then Jackson quieted them down with a simple question.

"Wait. Wait. What did they just say? About all that stuff that we still have?" he asked, his voice concerned. "Did they just say that we'd need to turn it in?"

"Too bad," Phineas muttered from his work table where he was playing with some of the Chitauri metal. He was currently applying electricity to the pieces, which in turn make them float. "We could make some pretty neat stuff with this given enough time."

That made Adrian halt and Loki leaned out a little to the side to peer closely at Adrian's face. Oh? How interesting. Loki knew that kind of expression. That look of defiance. He grinned. Adrian was scheming. The man opened his mouth and said the golden words that Loki wanted to hear.

"You know what…? Let's keep it," Adrian stated firmly, making everyone around him fall quiet and turn to him in surprise. "The world is changing and it's time that we change to."

And everyone was stunned by that little speech, while Adrian stood there smiling. Clearly the man was looking forward to getting one over Stark and the world's government. Loki couldn't help but smile gleefully at the sight.

 _Oh, Adrian Toomes,_ he thought to himself. _You refuse to succumb to their games and be their pawn, you are going to rebel. You dear sir, are my kind of guy! I'd love to help nudge you along._

And it was with that last thought in mind that Loki slid smoothly out from his hiding spot into an area where he would easily be seen. He didn't stand however, opting instead to sit there upon his new perch with his legs crossed. He grinned to himself, as they still hadn't noticed him even with his movements being so obvious, and clapped his hands together lightly to catch their attention.

"Well said!" Loki called out jovially.

All at once, everyone jumped and turned to him. The various expressions that painted their faces at finding him sitting on top of a large pile of debris were amusing indeed to the consummate trickster.

"Wha.. WHAT?!" Jackson shouted, surprisingly the first person to find his voice. "WHO ARE YOU! HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?!"

Several of the men grabbed for their guns and then aimed the weapons at Loki. Loki didn't move an inch however as he was not intimidated in the slightest. In fact, he just sat there and chuckled in amusement at their antics. In response to his cavalier attitude, Adrian held up a hand toward the others. That simply gesture was enough to make them lower their weapons. He stepped closer to Loki, looking him over with a frown.

"So _you're_ the one who has been in here," he commented with a nod to himself. "I thought I'd noticed things out of place. There's been signs that someone has been messing around with our stuff for a few weeks now."

Loki chuckled at that, it had been a few months but he wasn't going to correct the Human. He pulled the now empty hot pocket wrapper out of his pocket and held it up teasingly before throwing it at Herman's face. At first, Herman just looked confused as the trash hit his face, but he glanced down at the wrapper and then slowly frowned at it. Surprise and anger flashed over his face as he looked up.

"YOU! You're the one!" he exclaimed and then turned to look at his co-worker. "See! I _told_ you! Someone _was_ stealing them!"

"And like I told you; it wasn't _me_!" Jackson shouted back in annoyance. "He-"

"Quiet!" Adrian demanded in a firm tone and like clockwork, everyone listened to him and fell silent. He waited a moment to make sure they weren't going to start bickering again before turning his focus back to Loki. "You successfully kept yourself hidden up until now, so why have you shown yourself? And don't lie. If you had been a cop I know damn well that you would have just scurried off and reported us to someone."

"Let us just say… that I am someone who does not like 'the authorities' either," he responded with a smirk. "In fact, I am here to offer you a deal. We can work together quite well you know. I will lend you my services and you shall lend me yours. Fair trade?"

Adrian frowned in thought even as he crossed his arms.

"And what is it exactly that you would be able to offer us?" he asked.

"Well, I can tell you that your friend Phineas over there is on the right track," Loki commented with a wave of his hand towards the individual in question. "But his progress is slow, isn't it? It's simply because he has no idea what he is dealing with. I could tell him though. What materials the objects are made of, what they are used for and even _how_ the Chitauri used them. It would put him ahead of the curve by a significant amount compared to anyone else attempting the same thing."

Phineas pushed his magnifying-glasses up on his head so he could eye Loki clearly, if warily.

"How would you even _know_ those things?" he eventually asked.

Loki smirked again and stood up with a soft sigh. He jumped down to a patch of smooth flooring and wandered closer to the group. He stopped once he was in front of Adrian and offered up his most charming, and slightly condescending, smile.

"In only a few years your world has changed. You've just admitted it yourself. Your 'Earth' has recently been visited by people from other worlds. There's one problem with that assumption. A problem that can be clarified by a single word; ' _recently_ '. You see, the only thing that has actually changed is that people _know_ about this incident. They are _aware_ of what happened. No way to avoid it really," Loki lifted a hand and waved it towards the TV. "Tell me though, how many times do you _think_ your world has been visited by these 'out-worlders' now? How many people have you passed on the street that weren't actually _from_ 'Earth'. Perhaps no one has visited before now... and yet..."

He trailed off, letting his words linger in the air and allowing the Midgardians, the Humans, to come to their own conclusions. Adrian frowned as he crossed his arms.

"So am I to understand _you_ are from a different world or something?" he asked carefully.

At that Loki laughed aloud. How clever!

"Oh, you don't _have_ to assume _that_. I have merely had the good fortune to have access to a... certain degree knowledge before most of the world," he commented with a seemingly innocent smile as he used a twisted version of the truth to distract the male before him. "You can, of course, assume whatever you'd like."

Adrian looked down for a long moment before he looked up again, meeting Loki's green eyes.

"Three days," he started in a firm tone. "You can work with Phineas for three days. Build me something. Anything that you can come up with. I'll look over the results myself. I'll listen to what Phineas tells me, how useful you were to him and his creation process and the like. If I find that your work and aid was satisfactory, then you've got yourself a deal."

Loki grinned then turned to Phineas with another clap of his hands.

"Well, looks like we are partners now," he said with another innocent-seeming grin.

Phineas frowned at him in response, blinking rapidly. The other male didn't seem quite as sold on the idea as Adrian had. Then again, as Adrian shot Phineas and the others a _Look,_ Loki realized that no one in the warehouse, other than Loki himself, would dare to question Adrian. Loki had to hand it to the man honestly, he had a special air around him. A special authority so to speak. Even though he was merely the leader of a salvaging company, he still carried himself with such _pride_. It was rather admirable in some ways. It was too bad that a man with such potential wouldn't even _try_ to reach higher but had limited himself to this sort of scheming. He clearly had the potential for more, but wouldn't do anything to achieve it.

Adrian turned back to Loki, a demanding yet amused look in his eyes.

"So what may I call you? Mr. Hot-Pocket Thief?" he asked with a faint hint of humor in his tone.

Loki shrugged at the question.

"I don't really _have_ a name these days," he said bluntly. "Tell you what, as a sign on our new working relationship you get to decide what you want to call me."

"I vote for 'scumbag'!" Herman shouted as he stalked back toward his work area.

Adrian rolled his eyes and let out a huff of breath.

"Well, if you don't want to tell us your name, we'll just call you 'Robert'," he stated firmly.

"Oh?" Loki asked with a blink. He spoke the name aloud, as if tasting it. "Robert. _Robert_. Hn. Works for me."

"Robert eh?" Herman asked from where he'd sat down.

"Yeah. When I was in high school, there was this guy called Robert," Adrian explained with a smirk as he turned to look at Herman. "Biggest piece of shit I ever had the misfortune to meet! He was always stealing other peoples stuff and putting the blame on someone, anyone, else. Made puppy dog eyes at the teachers and got away Scott-free every damn time. I really hated his ass."

Loki chuckled softly at that.

"Oh, you are something else Adrian Toomes. Quite an amusing choice of a name," he admitted aloud. He HAD been stealing food after all and letting them blame each other. "I think this relationship might just work out just fine."

 

* * *

 

Three days later and the team stood around them in stunned silence at what Loki and Phineas had created; a small apparatus which could close and heal almost any wound within seconds. Loki had demonstrated this by cutting his own arm and allowing Phineas to use the machine to heal him.

Adrian's eyes were locked on the closed wound, inspecting it closely. Loki wasn't concerned with the inspection, he knew that not even the hint of a scar would be visible. Adrian then looked at Phineas with a visible question in his eyes.

"I would never have been able to make this without Roberts help," Phineas said in answer to that silent question. "This could make us… millions. Maybe even _billions_ if we can patent it."

"I thought you guys were going to make a weapon?" Jackson questioned with a blink.

Loki sighed softly at that.

"There is a bit of a snag in that department," he informed in a rare burst of blunt honesty. "I cannot help you create weapons. Mind you, I wont stop you from making them yourselves, I don't care what you do on your own, but I cannot help you build them or tell you how to make them."

Adrian's eyes lingered on Loki and his lips curled downwards into a small frown.

"You keep saying the weirdest things," he said moments later. His eyes returned to the 'healing cube' as they were calling it. "But your services could be invaluable to us regardless."

He then offered Loki a hand.

"Welcome to the crew, Robert."

And Loki grinned as he accepted the hand and shook it.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll both get the best out of this arrangement regardless," he said knowingly.


	6. Fine Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

"You serious?" Jackson asked in a dumbfounded tone. "You've _never_ had a cellphone before?!"

Loki frowned in annoyance as he looked over the piece of technology in his hands. He refused to dignify the Human's question with an answer. Even if it _was_ the truth...

"HAHAHAHA! A cellphone!" Jackson broke down and burst into a fit of laughter. "Dude, _everyone_ has a bloody cellphone these days! This is great!"

And with that, Loki looked up and pinned the male with death glare. If the situation had allowed for it, the Midgardian fool would have found himself no longer amongst the Land of the Living.

Randy, the last member of the crew and someone who hadn't been in the warehouse on the day Loki that had revealed himself, smirked in open amusement and decided to add in his own bit of commentary.

"Don't be too hard on Martian Boy Jackson," he said with a chuckle. "He can't help it."

Loki scowled fiercely. Oh, but he was not happy with the nickname that Randy had saddled him with. The fact that it had somehow it just _stuck_ for the crew was even more galling… 'Martian boy'. As if he were some kind of _pleb_. Ugh.

Now... Loki _had_ deliberately left his own origin vague for a good reason, but his lack of knowledge in certain areas regarding the day to day life of those Midgardians around him seemed to have given away the fact that he wasn't really from the area and that 'the area' was Earth itself. As such, the crew had started to joke about him being from space just like the Chitauri, who's tech they were currently messing around with, and so the nickname _"Martian boy"_ had been bandied about to the point where it had become his official 'nickname'.

Of course, their observation wasn't entirely off track. He _was_ from another world. Still, to be compared to that brain-dead species of reptilians that actually lived on Mars was annoying. He turned his glare on Jackson.

"Show me how to use it," he demanded, holding the phone in the male's direction.

Jackson just raised an eyebrow at him, not taking the phone.

"It would benefit you as well if I knew how to operate a 'cellphone' properly. Show me," Loki asked through gritted teeth. Though, it was more that he had harshly demanded the Midgardian comply more than really 'asked'.

Jackson shrugged, doing nothing to hide the amused twitching of his lips.

"All right then, fine. There's no need to be so pushy. Just ask nicely yeah? It's not like it's a secret anyway," he said even as he took the cellphone and started to show Loki the ropes.

Loki didn't say all that much the entire time that Jackson was showing him how to use the little device. His eyes remained festooned on the phone itself and how Jackson could operate it so smoothly. Whenever he _did_ actually say something, it was always formulated as a question. He took care to absorb any knowledge that Jackson gave him.

It was just _technology_ … and technology at its' root was logical, very similar to magic in truth. You just needed to know base, key factors of how to do something and then you could build upon it. Earth, from what he could tell, was now practically run by this technology now. He needed to get a firm grasp on how to use it. Loki's tentative plans required such effort. Fortunately the humans that he had allied himself with were more than willing to just _give_ him all of this information without even a second thought.

After a mere thirty minutes Loki understood how to make a call, send a text message and email and even how to access the internet…

Loki frowned as he examined that last item. It seemed to be some sort of 'digital highway' designed to transmit text and information. Also, it seemed like every device like the one in his hands were connected to the same 'highway', which seemed like a very foolish thing to do to him. Did that mean he could use any device connected to this internet to access any other device also connected to it? If so, then all he had to figure out was how to manage that kind of connection.

Once again Loki could liken the technology to magic. At its' core, it was all numbers and formulas! It was based on reason, not random in the slightest. It could even be considered a different kind of magic. Or was what he called 'magic' a different sort of 'technology'?

It was something to ponder in his idle time, but was not really that important in the grand scheme of things. What _was_ important was that it was entirely possible to categorize everything he was learning. Loki fixed his glasses as he looked at the device in his hand, pushing them back up his nose from where they had slipped. They had given him access to practically all of the information that Midgard, Earth, had to offer. How… how stupid were these people? It was right there! For anyone to find! Did they know nothing about that old saying, 'Knowledge is Power'? Did they have no limits on what was 'available to the public'? He decided to test it...

Want an extensive background knowledge of Tony Stark? DONE! Orphan boy, Mother and Father killed in a car crash when he was sixteen. His company had produced and sold weapons to _all_ of the the worlds largest governments, but had later stopped after he was kidnapped and consequently saved himself from his kidnappers in Afghanistan. After that, it looked like his guilt had lead him to be involved in many projects aimed at saving this rotten planet from itself... Loki snorted softly.

 _Good luck with that Stark. You'll need it,_ he thought to himself.

What about information on Bruce Banner? DONE! Once a Doctor who specialized in gamma radiation, he had been working to re-create the super soldier serum ones used on one Steve Rogers when an accident exposed him to the gamma blast. This accident had created the infamous HULK. Afterwards the HULK destroyed a nearby town, the media naming Banner a criminal for his actions which had sent him on the run for the next 14 years, until he was finally approached by SHIELD to become a part of the Avengers project. He'd earned his official pardon by fighting for Earth at the battle of New York.

What is 'Gamma radiation'? DONE! It came complete with all the technical formulas and everything Loki might even think to ask about the subject. Heck, the even seemed very familiar to Loki. It seemed to be the same kind of energy many magic spells would release. There were even 'reference links' to take him to 'sites' which described benefits of use, health concerns, etcetera, etcetera.

Loki was well and truly astounded how easy all of this was. How… honestly, just how stupid were these Humans? Anyone could just search and figure any of this out. It was like a candy store where everything was free, inviting him to know everything about everyone and... ah, wait.

There were though _some_ gaps in information when he'd tried to search for information on S.H.I.E.L.D.. When he'd asked, Jackson had explained 'public domain' to him. Any information about S.H.I.E.L.D. seemed to be extremely superficial since such information was not 'publicly available'. Most of what he _could_ find about the Agency came from what Jackson called 'conspiracy websites'… Same went for that bow-wielding guy and red-haired woman. Even the eye-patch man... Fury? Right? Yeah, Fury... there was no word of him _at all_. It was as if he didn't even exist.

Seemed like he would have to dig deeper to get any _real_ information on any of that… Loki went back and searched for more information on Rogers.

As Loki's eyes passed over the text screen, talking about the Super-Soldier formula that had been used on Steve Rogers and how so many had tried to replicate it but ultimately failed, he reached for his plastic cup of coffee. He tipped the cup back, happily drinking down the substance.

And to think... before he hadn't liked this stuff. No, coffee was amazing! It had a wonderful taste, it gave him a relaxed feeling just sitting with it and taking in the scent and to top it all off, it kept his mind awake and aware for longer periods of time. There was not a lot that he would bother take with him once he no longer had to stay on the planet, but _coffee_ … The Midgardians had done one thing right by working out this one.

"MARTIAN BOY!" Adrian shouted.

Loki turned to look at the other male with a surprised blink and a questioning tilt of his head.

"You wanted to come with to meet Rodrigo, didn't you?" Adrian asked. "We're going now!"

Loki smirked as he stood up. He did indeed. Rodrigo was one of their first clients. Also, from what Loki had found out, the man had a side business in forging identities for people who had money.

It was time to make Robert real. At least on paper.

Robert Johnson was going to be his official name, but he needed to be present for a photo to be taken. And so Loki walked over to the waiting crew and willingly crawled up into the back of the truck loaded with the goods they were going to sell. Once seated inside, he sighed deeply as he leaned back. Once he had an identity, he would be able to create that bank account he needed to cement his presence in this society. From there, things should start to go much smoother.

Pfft. Odin thought that merely stripping him of magic and strength would stop him? He was placed on Midgard, Earth, a planet filled with ignorant humans, and Odin thought that would deter him? No, the planet was Loki's own private playground now.

 _You watching all this Heimdal?_ he thought to himself as he looked at the ceiling of the truck. _Oh what's this? You can't come and lecture me, cause I didn't hurt a single human? Oh me, oh my, what a shame that is._


	7. Not Lokis problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Robert Johnson. Twenty-six years old. Born in North England, Manchester. Recently majored as a Mythologist and then moved to America for the opportunities.

Loki smirked as he looked over the little plastic card in his hand. Such a simple thing that would assure anyone that his identity was real. Complete with a date of birth, Nationality and background…

All of it fake of course.

Loki could have easily passed himself off as someone older, being a certain age often automatically earned you respect in many cultures, but he had decided against it. Even though his magic had been sealed away and his strength reduced, he would still age as he had before. In the eyes of the Humans around him, he would not appear to change much at all. The younger he claimed he was now, the longer he could keep up the facade of 'Robert' before he finally had to ditch said identity and move somewhere else. Become _someone_ else. He would probably be able to keep the illusion up until Robert was supposed to be in his late forties or fifties. Any longer though and people were likely start to ask questions.

Things would be easier now though. With a fake identity in hand, Loki could now open a bank account in his name.

Loki looked around and then smirked to himself as his eyes landed on the groups 'leader'. Adrian Toomes had made no secret of the fact that he didn't like Loki, but neither could the man deny that Loki's knowledge had garnered a hefty profit, and so it was only fair he be paid his fair share. It was behavior like that that made Adrian a good leader. He always rewarded his workers for a job well done and was fair in his treatment of said employees. Loki stated to learn by observing him, especially taking note of how anyone in his small crew would do anything he asked. Here was a man who inspired his men to stay true to the last. There was not a single person here whom would rat on Adrian Toomes. They were simply that loyal.

The Humans of Midgard had also developed ways in which to continuing making money by 'investing in stocks'. All of it was done by computer, and again, all quite logical. Loki had an easy time of it, writing fake posts and infiltrating various websites to manipulate the investments to suite himself. His efforts netted a good sum of money in a short time and well, financially speaking, he was now set for a good while. There was no longer a need to pick-pocket or mug Midgardians.

Overall, the Adrian Toomes crew had served Loki well in giving him room to set up, granting him access to a variety of underground smugglers and forgers on Midgard. On top of that, they had been all too willing to teach Loki anything that he might wish to know about life on Midgard. It had been an amusing time to say the least. Loki had even joined them on some of their weapon exchange runs, but only because he found it amusing to observe the groups interactions with other groups. He avoided joining in on any of the arguments or fights that occasionally occurred. This went on for a while before Jackson had been dumb enough to hint that Loki likely didn't know how to fight and that's why he avoided helping the group. When confronted by the boisterous fool, Loki had dealt with his impertinence swiftly. Said male had ended up on the floor in less than a second. Jackson had no time to register what had happened and Loki was satisfied by the knowledge that he wouldn't be in trouble as he had dealt with the impertinent Human in a way that had caused no lasting harm.

It was the time that Loki spent with Phineas, exploring the possibilities of merging the Chitauri technology with technology from Earth, that rapidly became his favorite pastime. It reminded Loki the times during his youth. Time spent experimenting with magic, trying to calculate and merge different spells just to see what the outcome would be.

Their latest creation lay in front of Loki; a tiny blue cube which Loki carefully picked up. He tapped it a moment later and he was suddenly inside of a force-field that was shaped like a bubble. Loki smirked as he tapped the cube again and the force-field vanished. Phineas shared his smirk as their gazes met.

"Bet that one is going to end up being in high demand," he said smugly.

"Naturally," Loki chuckled as he tossed the cube up and down a few times in his hand.

"Man, you know... you sure are a weird one," Phineas commented as he eyed the other male.

"So you keep saying," Loki replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, yeah but... I mean... you _are_ working with weapon manufactures and smugglers and yet you still refuse to create any kind of weapon to help us out. You keep sticking to defensive tools," Phineas stated with a frown. "I just don't get it, is it some sort of pacifist honor code?"

At that Loki laughed.

"Hardly," he stated firmly.

"Yeah, you're right. You're not the type," Phineas nodded thoughtfully before turning back to his table.

"Oh?" Loki asked as he sat down at the corner said table.

"You don't seem like the type of person who would actually _care_ if people got hurt," Phineas said as he looked over his tools. "You seem more like the kind of person who believes that it is each person for themselves so to speak. And if people do get hurt, then it is a result of their own actions and choices, therefore it is their responsibility alone. Sound about right?"

Loki chuckled softly. After living with/around this group, he was beginning to see what Thor found so endearing about humans; they could be rather amusing.

"Close enough. Perhaps it is best to say that _if_ you do enter the fray rather than flee from it, you have indeed agreed to be part of the battle," Loki said to clarify. "At which point it is then your responsibility to be strong enough, smart enough to make it through regardless of if you win or lose the battle. If you are neither, then you should have been wise enough not have entered the battlefield in the first place. Once you join in battle the dice is cast, so to speak. You can no longer blame only the enemies you have encountered for the outcome simply because _you_ were under-prepared."

"Fair enough," Phineas nodded as he picked up one of his projects and started to work on it.

Loki glanced at the man who was working so lovingly on his project. The older male could not help but find a small piece of admiration growing inside of him for the Human. These people, Adrian's rag-tag little group, knew that what they were doing was against their laws. They _knew_ that there was a major risk associated with their chosen path. But they met that risk without apology or excuse. Nor did they ask for any kind of forgiveness for their crimes. They knew without a doubt that they could be discovered or outed any day now, but they were not going to cry about it. No, they just wanted to show the 'big guys' out there in the world that not everyone could be controlled like meek sheep.

Loki... had to respect that kind of determination. He shook his head and reached for his coffee, the fifth cup that day, and took a sip.

"Well, Robert, or what-ever your name actually is, it sure has been something working with you," Phineas said as he lifted up an object, squinting his eyes at it as he inspected it for damage or flaws.

"What's this now?" Loki asked with a huff. "Speak plainly."

Phineas smirked at him.

"It may not be today, it may not be for another year or two," the Human started, "or, hell for all I know it could be tomorrow. Regardless, one day you are going to vanish just as mysteriously and quickly as you appeared in our lives. So... better just say it now. It's been fun having you here."

"Oh. Yes, it has been rather fun hasn't it?" he admitted with a startled blink. "You... don't want to know of my true origins?"

He'd asked that last feeling more than a little bit curious. Honestly, he was surprised that Phineas hadn't pressed him harder on the subject in the past. He wasn't too surprised by the fact that Adrian hadn't asked about his origins, once again a combination of his leader qualities and a 'don't ask, don't tell' kind of policy. The male didn't poke his nose where it wasn't needed, keeping everything on a strict and professional level unless absolutely necessary. Jackson, Herman and Randy weren't the brightest bulbs in the box and tended to make fun of Loki, asking him a lot of stupid questions and otherwise making nuisances of themselves but never asking outright where he was from.

Phineas, their inventor, was the only one with the intelligence to even begin to build any of this stuff on his own. If anyone could think to ask the correct questions of Loki, then it was probably him. And yet he'd never asked.

"Oh, I am dying to know!" Phineas stated finally, chuckling as he turned to look at Loki. "However, we _are_ running a criminal business now. It is not our job to ask questions at this point. Our job just is to deliver the goods and turn a profit."

Loki stared at Phineas as the man turned back to his pet project. Loki frowned a moment later as something indiscernible filled him and- _no_! He did not respect nor _like_ this Human! Regardless of how clever he was. It was only that... that Loki had spent too much time with this one group. Humans were stupid. Foolish. They were below him! Grumbling to himself Loki repeated that in his mind over and over again, fighting the feelings of how... how _comfortable_ this level of camaraderie felt to him.

These people were just his _tools._ His playthings! There were _zero_ fuzzy feelings towards _any_ of them.

A sound blared from the television, catching his attention. Loki perked up when he saw that Randy watching the news. More than that, it was the image of Thor being flung from what looked like a _portal_ followed by… wait a moment. Was that a _dark elf_? Loki blinked rapidly as he stared at the screen, before a smile spread across his face. By the Norns! He ran over to the television and smacked at the man's arm.

"Turn up the sound!" he ordered excitedly.

Randy shrugged at the odd request but did as he was told. The voice of the reported sounded nice and clear.

 _"The reason for the portals and fields where gravity has somehow changed are unknown,"_ The female voice informed them. " _Once again Earth has become a battle ground for aliens."_

Just then a stream of bad quality footage passed over the screen. It was a video of Thor being smacked down into the ground by, yes that was indeed a dark elf, so hard that pieces of concrete flew in all directions leaving a crater underneath Thor. Loki laughed loudly at the sight. Oh, by the All-Father! He _had_ to get a copy of that footage. He snorted softly and tried to reign in his laughter.

 _So… Thor has gotten into a tiff with the dark elves for some unknown reason?_ Loki grinned as he crossed his arms. Best thing of all? This sort of thing wasn't Loki's problem anymore! He didn't have to help his 'dear' Brother. _Want to drag me into your troubles **now,** Thor? How is it going for you now that you have no one at your back? Hm... what was it these Midgardians usually do again for occasions like this? Oh yes! Popcorn! Is there popcorn anywhere around here?_

"So…" Randy glanced up at Loki, catching his attention by gesturing toward the TV which was currently showing images of the dark elves. "Someone you know?"

"I am… familiar with their existence," Loki informed, his tone amused. His eyes were glued on the television screen.

"Cousins of yours or something martian boy?" Jackson asked with a bark of laughter.

Loki rolled his eyes.

"Do we somehow look _alike_ to your feeble brain?" he bit out with a frown.

"Hey now! I don't know what kind of voodoo, sci-fi, shape-shifting shit these guys might be capable of," Jackson snapped back.

Loki couldn't help but smirk at the man's response. If he had his true powers available to him, then he would have been a shape-shift himself. Jackson wasn't as far off track as he thought he was with that come-back. Norns, it would be humorous if the group one day got a gander of Loki's _true_ self. Blue skin, red eyes, ridges over his body, not to mention a body temperature that would seriously harm most humans if they tried to touch him. At the very least, it would give them a decent scare. Then Loki turned his attention back to the screen and saw another dark elf. This one seemed to be their leader and... odd. There was something wrapped around him. A red energy that… Wait.

Loki blinked in surprise. That energy seemed... Familiar? Loki frowned and leaned forward toward the screen to get a better look. Sadly the image was gone too quickly, replaced by the image of a studio with a man and a woman sitting down in their comfortable chairs discussing the events. Loki's eyebrows drew together and he stood up again with crossed arms.

Jackson blinked at him in confusion.

"What is it?" he asked.

Loki was quiet for a while as he glanced down at the ground. He looked up again a few moments later.

"Not my problem, that's what it is," he stated firmly as he abruptly turned around and walked away. He just wanted to forget about it.

But… his thoughts kept drifting back, kept lingering on what he'd seen. That energy… it looked like the same kind of energy that could be released whenever someone used the _Tesseract._ Not only that, but also the kind of energy that had been released when the Mind Staff had been used. Could there possible be a connection between those objects and the aura around that dark elf? No… that was impossible. What could those three things possibly have in common with each other?

Still, the thoughts plagued Loki's mind. Even hours later it still nagged at his thoughts. Loki hissed in annoyance, but he already knew at this point that he... couldn't just let it go.

He _had_ to figure this out.


	8. Avengers Tower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Tony Stark could only sigh. Sigh very long and very deeply even as he poured a very healthy sized glass of brandy. Moments later he turned around and held the glass out to the blond God of Thunder currently lounging on his couch.

"Thank you, friend Stark," Thor said with a grin as he accepted the glass.

"Please just tell me there will be no more alien attacks okay?" Tony asked in a plaintive tone. "There's nothing you neglected to tell us? Right?"

The billionaire sounded like he was on the verge of tears and honestly, Thor couldn't really blame him. Thor was quiet for several moments as he looked at the contents of the glass. He then shook his head.

"No, it is as I informed you," Thor said carefully. "Malakith and his people have been dealt with."

Tony was silent as he looked Thor over and then frowned. He pointed an accusing finger at Thor.

"You hesitated! I asked you if you had neglected to tell us something, _anything_ , and you hesitated!" he exclaimed as he threw up his hands.

"Friend Stark-" Thor tried to interject only to be cut off.

"Look! Listen. Just... listen alright? If there is some kind of inter-galactic war or whatever going on right now then just... just..." Tony sighed and practically deflated as he fell down onto the couch across from Thor. He groaned deeply in frustration as he rubbed at his face.

"You… do not look well my friend," Thor had to admit.

"He has had his own issues to deal with," the third and final person in the room piped up. One Bruce Banner.

"Please, don't remind me of it," Tony asked, a melancholic tone in his voice. True enough, the brilliant man looked beyond exhausted. The dark shadows under his eyes and haggard appearance spoke of recent hardships faced.

"Is it something that I can assist with?" Thor asked almost eagerly. These people had done so much for him. It was only right to return the favor in kind.

Bruce smirked and chuckled, more than a little bit amused by Thor's eagerness to help.

"It's over now Thor," Bruce said with a shake of his head, "you don't have to worry about it. The Mandarin has been dealt with."

"Ah… I see. I think," Thor frowned and leaned back in his seat, taking a sip of the drink Tony had handed to him. "How fare you then Doctor Banner? You at least seem to be doing well on this fine day."

Bruce smiled gently at the other man.

"Yeah… I… I spent such a long time being on the run," he admitted with a chuckle. His smile turned a touch embarrassed. Awkward. "This last year though. Heh. The thing is, it's hard to get used to _not_ having to look over my shoulder every second of every day."

He looked down at his hands and clasped them together.

"It's funny ya know?" he started softly. "How you can get so used to having military and even _tanks_ following you that you... you get paranoid when they aren't actually there."

"He still never leaves the tower though," Tony complained with a roll of his eyes. Bruce looked up and frowned at him. Tony tossed his head back and exclaimed in a louder voice so _all_ could hear. "You never leave the tower, Bruce!"

"Yes I… I'm sorry, I should probably find a place for myself," Bruce apologized as he fixed his glasses. "I just… don't have a lot of money."

Tony smirked and waved his hand dismissively at the other man's worry over finances.

"I've already told you a _thousand_ times now, you can live here for as long as you want. Heck, live here forever if you want. How many people can say that they have a HULK living in their tower huh?" he asked with a laugh. "I'll tell you, that kind of publicity is something no money can buy. Furthermore Doc, you know I employ researchers and I'd hire you on in a hot second if you're concerned about being a freeloader. You're the one being stupid enough to refuse good money."

Bruce looked ashamed as he looked down and away from Tony's kind yet rambunctious smile.

Thor smiled and shook his head, however.

"Friend Banner is a strong and proud man," he proclaimed with all the assurance of a Prince. "A man who would rather stand on his own two legs! You, Bruce Banner, are a true warrior!"

"Oh no! I'm no-!" Banner began, head jerking up and hands waving as if to brush away Thor's praises. Thor continued to talk over him.

"Yes, you are indeed!" Thor boomed, confidence filling his voice. "For without you, we would not have won against the Chitauri and the God of Trickery! Be _proud_ of your accomplishments friend Banner! There is no shame here."

Bruce's entire face had turned beet red. His hands fell to his lap and folded together in front of him. His eyes followed them down and stayed locked there. If he could have, he would have sunken into the couch and disappeared from sight.

"Aww, we embarrassed him," Tony smirked jokingly at his friend.

Bruce cleared his throat and desperately tried to think of something else they could change the subject to.

"Speaking of Loki, and I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries here, but… what did you guys do with him?" he asked as he glanced up at Thor. "You said he would face justice right? So... what does that entail for your people?"

Thor had been about to continue to speak of his friend's accomplishments and halted with a wince.

"Loki has… he has been stripped of his magic, as well as the strength that Asgardians have," he answered slowly. "And he's been... imprisoned for an indefinite period of time."

He was being very, _very_ careful in how he was choosing his words. Technically, he wasn't lying. That Loki's prison was the Earth itself probably wouldn't sit too well with either of the people in the room and he knew it.

"Hah! Serves him right!" Tony smirked and then winced, holding up a hand apologetically. "Ah, no offense Thor."

"No, none taken at all," Thor shook his head. "It is an appropriate punishment. He chose for himself actually."

He looked down, his heart filled with sadness. The truth was... he had no idea where Loki was or what he was doing. Odin had refused to tell him where he had placed Loki upon Earth and his mother wasn't telling him either. Heimdal had also refused to say anything. In fact, he was under strict orders to _not_ inform Thor about what Loki was up to unless there was a specific need for interference. For all intents and purposes, Loki was on his own. Just as he had been.

Still, that had been a strange conversation to have. When Thor had asked if Loki had been adhering to the rules laid out to him, specifically that he was not allowed to harm any Humans, Heimdal had given him an odd look.

" _I… I don't believe he has," Heimdal had said._

_Thor had frowned at the other man._

_"What do you mean you don't 'believe he has'?" he'd asked in confusion. "You have had your eyes upon him at all times, have you not?"_

" _Indeed, I have," Heimdal nodded in response. "Right now I can see that he is sleeping. However, when he is awake and amongst the populace he… I can say that your brother continues walking a delicate line and I… I am truly unsure if I should call it 'harming' the Humans or not."_

" _It is rather simple isn't it?" Thor asked as his frown deepened. "Has a Human been harmed due to Loki's actions on Earth? Yay or nay?"_

_The look on Heimdal's face, one of utter confusion and hopelessness was enough of an answer for Thor. Only Loki would be able to walk such a fine line and confuse even the All-seer regarding his deeds._ _Once again Thor found himself desperately wishing that he knew what on earth Loki was doing, but sadly any and all answers were continually denied to him._

Thor had to shake his head to bring him back to the current situation in Stark tower. He was merely talking to two of his friends on Earth. His fellow comrades in battle. He owed it to them to inform them about the Malakith incident, what all the portals and changes to gravity had been about. But even he couldn't inform them of such a simple thing as Loki being on Earth.

"You okay there big guy?" Tony asked with a small frown. "Lost you for a second there."

"Aye. Things have just been..." Thor nodded and then stopped, letting out a heavy sigh of his own. "A bit of a mess."

"Well, I can sympathies with that one," Tony nodded understandingly.

"You'll get used to it," Bruce stated suddenly, making both of them turn to look him. "Oh… was I… not supposed to say that?"

"Doc… I realize you've been through more than probably the both of us combined," Tony stated. "However, if I could _not_ get used to alien invasion and terrorists attacking my home and loved ones, then that would be great."

Thor couldn't help but smile in amusement as he shook his head. Tony really did have a way of saying things.

"Ah, yes. Of course," Bruce nodded and he huffed softly. "Sorry, that's not what I meant... I'm... just not very good at these kinds of things."

"I noticed," Tony smirked teasingly.

Thor shook his head and smiled reassuringly at the other man.

"Please do not worry my friends," he stated firmly and proudly. "If trouble arrives on Midgard, then I shall come and we will face it together!"

"If you could make sure that no trouble arrives on 'Midgard' as you call it, that would be fantastic," Tony stated as he once more held his head. "We kind of got issues enough to deal with on our own."

"I am afraid I can make no such promises," Thor apologized sincerely. "We may be called gods, but our powers are not absolute. The universe is a very vast thing indeed."

"Fine," Tony sighed and waved a hand.

"So, I guess you'll be headed back to Asgard now?" Bruce asked Thor.

Thor nodded at the other man, "Asgard too sustained heavy damages. I am needed back home."

"Right, I just thought I'd let you while you are here," Bruce stood up and walked over to one of Tony's computer boards. He tapped at it and pulled up a holographic screen like Tony usually used. "I took the liberty of analyzing the energy readings coming from your Malakith when he was on Earth. The energy he used to punch holes in reality itself and thus creating the portals it…? That was Gamma energy."

Thor looked at Bruce with a raised brow. His eyes showing that he was absolutely clueless.

"You… have no idea why that's relevant do you?" Bruce asked and Thor shook his head. "Right. Okay."

He called up a projection of the staff that Loki had wielded.

"The mind staff was also emitting Gamma radiation," he pointed at the two frequencies and how they overlapped. "And then there's the Tesseract which was used to create the Super-Soldier Serum and..."

He paused and swallowed roughly.

"Right... in the attempt to replicate that same serum it… well, the results created _me,"_ he said. "Or well, the Big Guy. We didn't have the Tesseract, however, which was the original Gamma source of the Super-Soldier Serum, so we tried to create our own source of Gamma… Which erhm, lead to an explosion and erh..."

Bruce halted again, then he shook his head to clear away the memories before he continued.

"The Tesseract and the mind staff that Loki wielded are the two single largest sources of constant Gamma I've managed to observe on this Earth," he finished. "Well, they _were_. The energy from Malakith was just as large of a source."

Tony frowned at that and leaned forward.

"It didn't create any new big Hulks though… Did it?" he asked looking up from the readings that Bruce had called up.

Thor halted spoke, "Malakith… did absorb a Stone that gave him incredible power before attacking."

"The power coming from these three sources seems much more refined than the blast I was hit by," Bruce said reassuringly as he tried to explain his findings. " _That_ blast... it was raw so to speak. _Untamed_ if you will. It was a very short burst of immensely concentrated energy. These objects, they seem to release a steady, consistent flow of refined Gamma radiation."

"Ah! I see!" Thor stated confidently. It was a lie though. He didn't understand any of it. This was honestly something that his brother would likely have understood.

Tony frowned again and tapped his fingers against his chin. He flicked his fingers a moment later, "That's cool and all… and good that we don't have to worry about any accidents like yours, but... what does it mean in the long run though?"

"I… have no idea," Bruce admitted after shooting the other man an exasperated look.

Tony smirked back at Bruce unrepentantly.

"Well, you keep working on that Doc," he clapped his hands together and stood up. "See what I mean? You've earned your keep already."

"Tony I..." Bruce started to say, only to have Tony once more flick his hand. Dismissively waving away any of Bruce's concerns.

"Here's how I see it!" Tony stated firmly. "There are these weird magic Gamma 'things' that keep finding their way to Earth! Now me? I want to know if there is a _connection_ , and if there _is_ , what do _we_ need to look out for? How do we deal with this stuff? To figure this out, I need a guy. A guy who knows all about Gamma radiation. In fact, I won't settle for anything less than the worlds _leading_ Gamma radiation expert and... oh!"

He paused in front of Bruce and waved his hands expressively.

"Look at this," he said with a grin, "said expert is standing right in front of me. Isn't he?"

"Ah," Bruce realized what Tony was getting out and let out a bemused laugh.

"Also! _Also_! I get to tell people I am _best friends_ with the _Hulk_ , so... Will you just take the money and the job Bruce? Honestly. You'd think I was going to kick your puppy or something."

Bruce smiled and let out another chuckle.

"Okay, fine," he said, finally giving in to Tony's pestering. "You win Tony."

"Always do," Tony responded with a cocky wink. His expression turned serious and his tone encouraging. "Also, seriously? Go outside of the tower one of these days. Have some fun, pick up a girl or... or _something_. I don't know."

"I'll think I'll pass on that one," Bruce said with a shake of his head.

"Have it your way then," Tony snorted and shook his head.

Thor smiled, shook his head in amusement and downed his drink.

"It is good to see that you are doing well my friends," he stated. "Earth is in good hands! This is good!"

Tony groaned and threw up his hands.

"Why does Earth even _need_ to be in good hands?" he asked and the other two could only shake their heads as Tony went on another rant.


	9. Next Step

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Loki was sitting in front of a television, legs crossed, observing the well of information presented to him on the screen. Most of it was just nonsense disputes among Midgardian countries, but you never knew when beneficial information would present itself. The primary benefit that he'd found was that he did not have to find a way to observe the Avengers directly. These 'news studios' were doing all the work for him. All he had to do was to sit back and watch.

Loki could not deny that his time with the Toomes crew was nearing its' end. He had gotten what he needed from them in the form of his ID card, and he had no desire to grow too comfortable amongst the group. He had even managed to develop a few items that didn't require magic from the user to be activated.

The healing cube, a force-field cube, and lastly, a little stick able to knock anyone out by touch, aptly dubbed the 'sleeping stick'. It was a tiny thing actually and looked like an ordinary pen. All Loki needed to do was to press it against someone's forehead, and they would be out like a light. Not dead, as he wasn't allowed to hurt anyone, but sleeping.

Loki was throwing this very item up and down in the air while his eyes lingered on the screen.

Tony Stark had been front and center in the news for a while now. Ever since that terrorist group started attacking him, at least, and of course, there was news regarding his short disappearance during that time. He seemed to be back for good now and had officially declared that he would dedicate less time to being Iron Man, and focus his resources and energy on development. 'Creating new things to benefit the world'… how noble of him.

Steve Rogers was, well. The best way Loki could describe it was that said male had been presented as and even acted as a kind of a circus clown in his early career. He was presented as a 'real-life hero' to the masses and appearing in several 'talk shows' and PTA's. Always talking about how you needed to 'do good' to 'be good' and… urgh, it made Loki cringe all over his body. Did the man not have any shame? Or self-respect for that matter?

Sadly, judging from those old commercials they were showing on the news, it didn't look like it.

Bruce Banner seemed to be keeping to himself for the most part. There had been a few short documentaries about him and his work on the TV, but no real news about the man's current activities. From what Loki could tell, he was now living in Stark Tower with Tony and rarely, if ever, left the building.

The employees of S.H.I.E.L.D., however, remained a mystery. People had, of course, asked plenty of questions. Who were these two new heroes at the battle of New York? Where did they come from? Where were they now? But no response was forthcoming. News regarding the male archer and female 'femme fatale' had been kept a secret, much like most of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s actions. All Loki could tell was that they were special agents working for S.H.I.E.L.D., which of course, was a government program and needed to remain 'hush-hush' for the safety of those involved.

A new issue had presented itself to Loki; What should his next step be? He couldn't very well insert himself into the American government post haste now, could he? Well, he could if he decided to go in 'guns blazing' so to speak, but he was not allowed to harm any human directly or indirectly. With the way the U.S. government functioned, he would most certainly end up stepping over that line if he involved himself in any matters of state. Furthermore, becoming a public figure was _not_ in his self-interest! And with all the restrictions that had been placed upon him, being stuck in a situation where he couldn't fight back was in no way desirable.

Although, it would be fun to take over Earth using Odin's precious rules if only to see the look on Thor's face. As hilarious as that mental image was, though, it wouldn't be worth it. There would eventually be better ways to get the better of both Thor and Odin.

Loki stood up from his position in front of the television he had acquired for the place currently serving as his home. A small apartment that he had recently rented. He would not be there for much longer. When he left the Toomes crew, he would change his cell-phone and move. Like Phineas had said, he was going to vanish just as abruptly as he had appeared. At least from their point of view.

He walked over to the wall. It was bare except for one item; A decent sized mirror hanging on the wall. It had been a necessity purchase for him, not a vain indulgence. Loki had purchased it so that he could make himself presentable each morning. More than that, it helped settle his mind.

Every day, Loki would take a good long look in the mirror. He would look at his own eyes, the bright green, and force himself to recall who he was. What he used to look like. He would not lose himself to a mundane, inane, mortal life like this! Even though he did feel it growing on him. In small ways, true, but he was adapting to it, and adapting meant changing.

His newfound love for coffee. The way he suddenly took care not to bump into anyone. How he had started to relax in the company of the Toomes crew, going so far as to joke with them as if they were somehow friends. It was just tiny things now, but he knew that if he allowed these small changes to accumulate over time, he would find himself become more and more Human. Worst case scenario? In fifty years or so, he would cease being himself. Cease being Loki and fall into the role of 'Robert'. Which, now that he thought about it, was probably Odin's plan. He refused to allow that to happen.

And so Loki looked at his green eyes, recalling the face they belonged to. He forced himself to recall his travels through space and time. He remembered how he had stood face to face with Thanos, the Mad Titan! He made himself remember the enormous monster that had grabbed his throat and how the Mad Titan had hoisted him up, feet dangling above the ground. He pushed himself to remember the Titan's children, prodding and cutting at their new toy, Loki.

Every humiliation, every bit of pain, he would remember it all. He would never forget it. No, instead, he would let it fuel him. For he was Loki, the God of Tricks, Mayhem, and Lies! He was merely a God trapped amongst Men right now. But he would not be held back forever! He would escape. There was no rush. He would live for thousands of years, after all. So what if he had to spend a hundred or so years here? That was nothing to a being such as him. He knew how to play the long game. That was… As long as... If Thanos didn't… Loki shook his head to clear his thoughts.

 _No! Enough. The Tesseract isn't even on Earth anymore,_ Loki thought to himself, _there is no reason whatsoever for Thanos to come to such a backwater world._

And even if he did come, he wouldn't know who Loki was. His altered appearance would serve him well, in more ways than one. Loki frowned to himself as another thought crossed his mind.

 _What does Thanos need the Tesseract for?_ he thought to himself as his frown deepened.

The Titan was already mighty enough by himself. The male commanded a massive army to carry out his will. Loyal subjects to do his bidding. Why would he…? Could he...? There was no reason to...!

Loki shook his head vigorously.

 _No. Be rational about it! Do not panic,_ he scolded himself firmly.

Yes, his resources were limited, but he could figure this out on his own. Thor had taken the Tesseract back to Asgard when he'd brought Loki in for his farce of a trial. That much he knew. But what had happened to the mind staff? A cold shiver ran down Loki's back at the thought. He had no desire to touch that, that _thing_ again! Even he hadn't been able to resist its' power! Still… having a look around might be beneficial. If only to confirm the damn _thing's_ current location. Loki frowned and tapped at his chin.

First question then; Who would know where it was located? The Avengers and high ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agents seemed like the top candidates. At least to start with.

Loki turned back to look at the television screen. Infiltrating one of said groups could prove extremely beneficial. Right now, they seemed to be a key player in regards to current events, and something told Loki that they would play a significant role in future events as well.

The Avengers group were a S.H.I.E.L.D. initiative, right? The two were quite clearly connected. Getting access to one would allow him a foothold inside the other.

Loki tilted his head, weighing his available options. Yes. It seemed like an excellent next step for him to take. He had established an identity in this world. He had a good-sized income to his name. He had connections to several underground rings thanks to the Toomes group. He was now secure enough to take the next step and infiltrate himself. All he needed to figure out was how he was going to go about it.


	10. Mischief is key

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

The first step of the plan when infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. was, of course, observation. Loki needed to gather any information that he could. Had to look for the hidden patterns and any people involved with the organization from the lowest levels up. Even the smallest piece of information could be vital. He listened in on any S.H.I.E.L.D. related conversation he could find, even the ones that sounded like nothing more than gossip. However, as Loki started to work on his self-assigned task, something began to stand out to him the deeper he went.

He was not the first to think that it would be a good idea to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D..

It wasn't just a single individual here and there working undercover to get information on the secretive group. There was an entire _network_ of people inside S.H.I.E.L.D., spying on them without overtly hindering them. It was what Loki could best describe as an infestation! Most interesting tidbit of all? The spies were a part of a group called Hydra.

After watching for a while, Loki wasn't sure who was more numerous in the large organization, HYDRA agents or S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. It was a dangerous cocktail, as it was nearly impossible to tell who was who. It also left a huge question, who amongst them should Loki ally himself with?

It seemed like it was only a matter of time before HYDRA won. By all appearances, they looked to be eating S.H.I.E.L.D. up from the inside out!

And yet, Loki was not allowed to hurt Humans. Directly or indirectly. And his findings showed that HYDRA 'hurt' Humans. The amount of damage and loss of life caused by the organization was... extensive. While looking over the history of HYDRA and trying to dig up their current operations, Loki's crimes began to look outright laughable in comparison! This group… they were capable of killing several _thousand_ people over the span of a single day, _and_ they covered it up so well that no one even knew about it! And they used their power well. Loki had to marvel at his findings. This was so different from Asgardian politics and how Asgardians went about their business.

Asgardians always walked in through the front door, announcing their very presence loud and proud and making any combat as visible as possible. It was part of the Asgardian honor code. To always face combat in honorable ways and _never_ run from a battle! On Asgard, it was considered better to die in battle than run from the battlefield.

Loki had always found it rather foolish, honestly. Why walk in yelling to all and sundry that you were about to attack? There were much simpler ways to win a war. Methods that even resulted in less death and well, a lot less of a mess. These Humans, though, they were so underhanded. They were so filled with lies, deceit, conspiracies, and trickery. Oh, Loki had gotten them all wrong.

They were fun!

He was in the process of trying to infiltrate either group right now. On the face of it, neither side seemed worth the effort. Especially not when there was something _else_ Loki could do. Something which would require a lot less afford on his part, but could also cause a significant ripple effect that would be out of anyone's control. If he succeeded, then he could sit back and try to direct tiny portions of events in his favor while letting the main event run its' course.

He was essentially looking at a giant hornet's nest. And all _he_ had to do was poke it with a stick. Simple, yes?

And so Loki went to work. He began by creating a folder with all the information he could find on Hydra's plans, all the proof that was needed to start an in-depth investigation. Photos and names of high ranking Hydra agents that had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. and then he was going to deliver all this very information… to Hydra itself.

The realization that someone had figured them out was sure to make HYDRA panic. They would start to act in haste, and they would potentially accuse each other of being the source of the leak. Someone was doomed to make a wrong move during such a panic.

It was a fine art. It took skill to do as little work as possible by yourself, and let others work themselves up in a frenzy for you while you sit back and watch the show.

Of course, Loki knew he wasn't allowed to hurt Humans _indirectly_. And yet... he casually flipped through the folder he had created and frowned. Could these people be considered Human, even by Odin's standards? Wouldn't he be saving _a lot_ more Humans than this folder could potentially kill? And the people who _could_ be killed were mostly murderers themselves.

Not only that, but his folder was filled with information they already knew. How harmful could it be, to show them that someone had found them out?

 _Are you going to punish me for this, Heimdal?_ Loki thought at the Watcher. _No response, eh?_

With no reaction from the All-Seer, Loki got himself ready to act on what he had found. He packed up a bag with his disguise and then went out into the city. He went to the other end of the town, so he was on the other side of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters. There he found a tucked-away corner where there was a blind spot for the city cameras. Once hidden from sight, he pulled out the S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform that he'd brought with him. The outfit matched all others he'd seen the group wear, complete with the badge and a helmet with a reflective visor to conceal most of his face. After he had put on the uniform, he tucked the empty bag behind a trash can. He stood at the blind spot for an hour and then walked out to join a particularly large group of Midgardians. He split from the group and walked toward the front gate of the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, where a guard was standing looking bored.

"HALT! State your business," the undercover Hydra agent shouted.

"I need to deliver this to Director Fury," Loki replied in a voice slightly lower-pitched than his usual tone as he approached the guard. He showed the Hydra agent the sealed manilla envelope. "Top secret. I was told that this seal is not to be broken by _anyone_ other than the director himself! Do you understand?"

The Hydra agent looked Loki over with a frown and then nodded his head.

"Leave it to me, sir," the guard said as he held out a hand. "Just give it to me, and I'll run this to him straight away."

Loki hesitated a bit.

"I don't know…" he hedged carefully. "It is _essential_ that no one else other than Director Fury sees this. I probably should deliver it myself if you'll let me through."

"Sir, it's okay," The guard put on a fake smile. "This is S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. We are all trained professionals here, and you know there are protocols to follow."

"True," Loki said slowly, letting the tension linger for a bit.

The Hydra agent straightened from his 'at ease' position, his hand slowly moving toward his gun. Loki was quickly able to tell that the man was ready to shoot Loki down for that envelope and claim that Loki was an interloper. Loki smirked slightly. Thankfully his grin couldn't easily be seen behind the visor.

"I guess I was just a bit paranoid," Loki said jovially as he held out the manilla envelope. "I doubt you would be asked to guard headquarters if you weren't trustworthy. My apologies and also my thanks! This will save me some time. I've other deliveries to make."

The agent grinned, a triumphant look readily filling the man's eyes as he took the envelope in hand.

"You're welcome," he stated, a brief outright maniacal grin passing over his lips before he managed to hide it. Loki almost scoffed. What an amateur! He was so easy to see through. And Hydra considered itself a _secret_ organization?

"Well, then, I hope you have a nice day!" Loki continued in a pleasant voice. "Thanks again!"

He turned around and walked away as the Hydra agent grinned once more. Holding the envelope in his hands, he flipped on his radio and muttered into it, his eyes fairly glistening with his perceived victory.

Loki had a hard time containing his laughter, chuckling softly as he went back to the blind spot. After making sure no one was around, he changed out of the uniform and put it back into the bag. He had to keep a good hold on his glee as he stood there for another hour. When there was an opening, he once again joined a big group of Midgardians and left the area.

It seemed like forever before he made it back home. Once there, he threw himself on the couch and let go. The sound of his howling laughter rang loudly through the room. It took him several moments to calm down, and he pursed his lips as he settled back against the arm of the couch with one leg hanging over the edge. He chuckled again.

"Poke, poke, poke!" he jabbed his finger out at the empty air as if disturbing a bee's nest. Then he looked up at the ceiling and called out loudly. "Hey, Heimdall! Why did the wasp refuse to buy new stripes?"

He paused an appropriate amount of time and then yelled out the answer.

"Because it was too stingy!"

Of course, there was no response to the weak pun. Loki smirked though, as he could readily imagine Heimdal frowning at him in annoyance.

"I'm doing good, by the way," Loki continued conversationally as he casually grabbed an apple from the table. "Interesting people here on 'Earth.' They are just as underhanded as I am, got to give them that."

He took a bite of the apple, enjoying the flavor for a moment before he spoke again.

"I am starting to feel at home here, oddly enough. Every day I see people lie and cheat; oh, but it makes my heart sing with joy. It does surprise me somewhat," he said as he rolled onto his stomach and took another bite. "There are so many ways these Humans can lie to each other. And even to themselves. Hah! They screw their own kind over again and again! Honestly, this place is a delight! What a petty, selfish race, these humans are — everyone out for themselves. It's a good lesson; I'll grant you that! I'll be sure to take it to heart."

Far away, in another realm, Heimdal closed his eyes and sighed softly. He was not looking forward to giving Odin his next report. That Loki seemed to be adapting to accept only the _worst_ aspects of Humanity instead of the good ones, unlike Thor, was troubling. Yes, he was adjusting better to the limitations placed on him, which shouldn't have been too surprising, but his arrogance had not been diminished in the least.

It was starting to look like this case of 'surveillance duty' was going to last Heimdal a long, _long_ time.


	11. An old fable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Once, some several hundred years ago, when both Thor and Loki were very young, they had gone to Midgard. They were for all intents and purposes, stupid teenagers that wanted to prove their 'manhood.'

One visit turned to multiple outings as they went to... well, to hang out with the locals, have fun and be general trouble makers. Neither of them put much thought into their actions, nor what their efforts might result in. To them, both of them, it was all good for a laugh.

At one point, Thor had seen a big, beautiful stag and summarily declared that said stag was going to be his dinner. That it would make a grand meal for a God such as he. He quickly crushed its skull with his hammer and then slung the felled beast over his shoulder. He and Loki then walked to a nearby house where a Midgardian and his family lived.

Thor had laughed and presented them with his big kill, telling them to roast the deer so they could all feast together that night in celebration of a good hunt.

And yet the people who lived in that house had been horrified!

It was a father, living in peace with his son and daughter. His wife, the kids' mother, had passed away not long ago. And, as it turned out, that stag had been special to them. When the stag had been a foal, their late mother had found it with a broken leg and taken care of it, raised it as a faithful pet. Now that she had passed away, they considered the stag a living memory of her love.

When the stag had become an adult, it had come and gone as near-wild creatures often did. It was part of their family regardless. It had, at one point, even saved the father from wild wolves. They owed their father's life to their mother's stag.

They were _furious_ with Thor _._

The family demanded compensation. Nothing less than gold would be enough to make up for Thor's 'crime.' Gold enough to cover the entire stag like a burial cairn! Thor and Loki had looked at each other for a long moment before Thor agreed with their demand. His brother opted to stay behind, and he asked Loki to fetch the gold. Loki was not about to ask their father for such a stupid amount of gold, however, nor did Loki wish to give away their misdeed. So instead, he went to the home of one of the Kings living on Midgard.

And then promptly stole a large sack filled with the man's hoarded gold.

It didn't take long for him to return and easily covered the entire stag with the gold.

The family's eyes, which beforehand had been stricken with grief, were now lightning up in pure astonishment, followed by simple greed. So great was this greed, that there was no room whatsoever for their prior sorrow, and they let Thor and Loki go on their way.

"Oh, by the way!" Loki had said as he walked out the door. "You might not want to keep that gold. It's cursed. Whoever owns it will face great misfortune. And I do not just mean the three of you, but your descendants or whoever might be foolish enough to steal it. Anyone who has it will suffer a rather horrible death."

Thor gave Loki an odd look, but Loki just smirked at his brother. The family was too shocked to stop them, and the two were on their way. A little under a hundred years later, Loki and Thor had all but forgotten about said incident. That is until they suddenly stumbled upon the self-same pile of gold that Loki had initially handed over, piled outside the unmoved remains of a now ruined house. A man was standing above it, a mad look in his eyes.

"No, NO!" the man was shaking his head and muttering to himself. "This treasure _must_ be destroyed! It is cursed and cannot be kept! It has brought nothing but death and ruin to my family! Yes, that should work. I shall throw it into the river and return it to the Gods!"

The man's antics left Thor and Loki looking at each other in astonishment. Confused, Loki started to ask around, they eventually got the full story.

After Loki and Thor had left, the father of the house had declared the treasure his. As was his 'right' as the man of the house. His son had not been happy about the announcement, as he had reached his maturity. The younger man had demanded a share of the treasure. The father refused, and that had led to a fight where the son killed his father. With the older man dead, the son had claimed the gold for himself. The daughter, who had stayed out of the fight, had demanded that she have a share. Her brother had refused, saying he hadn't become a kin-slayer only to share _his_ gold with another. He had then taken the gold with him and settled down on a mountain top where he guarded the gold ferociously.

Enraged by this, the sister had eventually found a strong man to marry, and soon after gave birth to a son. She had raised her son with stories of the treasure, telling the boy that it rightfully belonged to him and not his kin-slaying uncle. When the son became an adult, he went on a quest to get revenge on his uncle, both for the murder of his grandfather and the theft of the treasure.

When the son had arrived on the top of the mountain, he found a man who had become frail. His uncle had refused to leave his treasure, not even daring to go far to hunt for food. The kill was an easy one, and the son had returned in triumph with the cache of gold.

Shortly after his return, a young woman in town started to bat her eyelashes at the son. After a time, she then suggested that they should marry.

The son was beyond pleased. He had always held warm feelings for this particular woman. It was only since his return that she started to notice him, and he had assumed it was because she finally recognized his bravery. The truth, though, was different. Horribly so. She did not love him. She only loved his newfound wealth!

Soon enough, she gave birth to the man's child, which was also a healthy boy. When her husband started to talk about sharing their treasure to better their community, she grew angry and protective of the 'family treasure.' She refused to risk once more becoming poor. As such, she killed her husband in a way that looked like an accident and gone on to live a life of luxury. She was cruel to all of her servants and abused them to the point that they revolted against her and killed her.

Leaving her child behind as an orphan. Her son.

The man standing before Thor and Loki now, ranting and raving about the gold? Declaring that the treasure should be disposed of? He was the great-grandson of the man they had initially given the gold to.

Realizing what had happened, both Thor and Loki stared, wide-eyed looking at the young man in shock. Thor's eyes became shadowed with worry, and he turned to Loki.

"Loki," he started, in a voice that was filled with a small measure of fear. "Perhaps… perhaps you shouldn't have handed the mortals a cursed treasure in payment for the stag."

After a moment of confused silence, Loki burst out laughing.

"Ha. Hahahaha!" Loki shook his head. "Thor, my brother, what are you _talking_ about?!"

"The treasure is cursed!" Thor exclaimed, clearly upset with his brother's antics. He waved a hand toward the man and then at Loki. "You said so yourself!"

"Are you truly _that_ stupid, Thor?" Loki asked as he waved a hand dismissively. "Of course it isn't cursed. I just made that up on the fly! There are no such things as 'cursed' treasures on Midgard, you idiot!"

Gobsmacked, Thor looked at Loki.

"It's Human greed! That's _all_ that this is! Greed," Loki exclaimed in a humorous voice before pointing as his head, "and _stupidity_."

Thor kept looking as astounded and as stupid at his statement. Loki bent over, holding his stomach as he howled with laughter. The trickster had barely _done_ anything! Only said, as a prank, that the treasure was cursed. The humans had caused all of that damage and heartbreak on their own!

It had been a valuable lesson for Loki back then. Often times, all you needed to do was to set the ball rolling and allow everyone else to do the dirty work for you.

Already Loki could see the results of his little shove. Hydra agents were falling like flies as they accused each other of being the leak. Just as he had predicted they would. Their paranoia grew and grew, and all he had to do was give the occasional poke to stir the 'nest' back up.

And their mistakes made other people aware of them. Nick Fury himself started to become aware of the fact that _something_ was going on under his nose.

Their little house of cards, oh so carefully built over years, perhaps decades, was crumbling. And Loki was witnessing it all fall to pieces around them. Oh, those silly, silly Humans. They were so predictable and yet...

Loki could feel that the end results were going to be fun to watch!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story in this chapter is a re-interpretation of the Norse Myth "Fafners treasure." which is indeed about a cursed treasure originally given by Loki as a compensation for accidentally killing the familys son. It is though Odin whom accidentally kills the son.
> 
> In the story though, Loki steals the treasure from a dwarf and it is indeed cursed, and it then brings death and ruin to the family for generations until the last son in the family throws it back into the river where Loki originally stole it and killed himself to keep the location of the treasure a secret.
> 
> So yeah major changes is, Odin killed the son but Loki goes get the treasure for him. The dwarf he steals the treasure from warns Loki that the treasure is cursed and anyone whom owns it will be met with ruin. Loki doesn't care since he isn't going to keep it anyway.  
> He warns the family about it though, but they are so overcome with greed they don't care.
> 
> It is the brother who goes to the mountain with the treasure who is called "Fafner." and he actually transforms himself into a dragon to guard this treasure (So there's your origin for that trope.) The battle he has with his not nephew but grand nephewn (Grandchild of his sister) for the treasure is rather epic and involves help from Odin.
> 
> Then there are multiple stories about the different generations and how the treasure ruins them, until again, the last person in the family line, a man called Sigmund throws it back into the same river where the river dwarf live and Loki first got it, and kills himself so no one knows where the treasure is.


	12. Winther Soldier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Alexander Pierce's eyes were cold. Yet another folder with delicate information had found its' way to his hands. This time, it was his own picture looking back at him atop the other pages held within. Scribbled across said photo in bright red letters were the words _'The guy in charge.'_

His eyes flicked upwards, meeting the gaze of the female agent currently standing in front of him.

"Where?" he asked.

"Slipped into the bag of Agent Jefferson," she informed, knowing without having to ask what he wanted to know. "Based on the security footage, it seems to be the same person from the previous incidents. They were the same height and build and wore the same style of S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform with a visor to cover their face. This time they went South-West to a blind spot we were unaware of and… vanished from the camera yet again."

She sounded mildly embarrassed by that last addition to her report, as well she should. He'd issued orders to find and fix any such 'blind spots' the moment they realized what was going on. Pierce's eyes were hard as he turned his gaze back to the folder in his hands.

"Someone is making a mockery of us," he fumed. He looked back up at the operative in front of him. "I don't care how, but I want that person silenced and gone. If it is found that he has allies, then they are _all_ to besilenced and removed from the playing field."

The woman looked at him questioningly.

"By _any_ means necessary agent," Pierce said firmly as he tossed the folder onto his desk. "Our position here must not be compromised."

"Do I have the authority to bring in the Winter Soldier for this?" the woman asked.

Pierce fell silent for a moment.

"If it seems to be a good course of action to handle our problem, then calling on him might work," he started thoughtfully before nodding his head firmly. "Hm, it's unlikely, but if he is somehow caught on camera killing our leak, then we can place the blame on him rather than risk exposing ourselves any further to the others. Yes, you have the authorization to call in the Winter Soldier if you feel that he is needed."

The woman nodded her head, her lips forming two words in a way so that it could be seen but not heard.

And Pierce did the same and smiled coldly as she left the room.

Those words had been 'Hail Hydra.'

 

* * *

 

Loki could not remember the last time he had this much fun!

Being able to fool around with these Humans, making them chase their own tale, was beyond amusing to him. And nothing was going to stop him from having his fun.

He was just being mischievous, which was his nature!

Today was the fifth time in four months that he had donned the S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform. He was playing around with a single picture this time instead of a folder. The image was of a high ranking female Hydra agent, well, that and he had drawn a noticeable red nazi symbol on the photo, right over her face. Loki was trying to think of where he should drop it. He had, of course, been taking great care not to do this too frequently, but to space out his little jaunts so that security would grow lax once more.

He was done no longer giving items directly to S.H.I.E.L.D. agents either. After doing that the once, he knew that they would check the identity of anyone coming in. Even handing over the photo to a Hydra agent would be risky right now, as they were just as paranoid. He grinned as an idea hit him. The food supply! How funny would it be to put the photo into someone's random lunch container? Let some random individual find it and watch the magic happen.

If the person who found it in their lunch was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, then he or she would be sure to exclaim about it and question its' presence, asking his co-workers if they were playing a prank. As such, any Hydra agents in the room would see it and panic. If it was a Hydra agent, then that agent would likewise panic, or at least start acting in a suspicious and unbecoming manner.

The thought made Loki smirk. Oh, but that was a hilarious mental image. There was also the benefit that, if he stuck it into their food, no one was going to know how it got there.

All of a sudden, Loki fell silent, his mirth gone. He started to casually look over the photo in his hand. He knew that feeling prickling along his senses. There was someone out there, watching him. Loki turned around just slightly, putting a hand to his pocket and acting like he might have forgotten something. What he was actually doing was scanning the area around him. Nothing. Continuing with his ruse of being forgetful, he slowly started to walk back the way he'd come. He needed to leave the area.

Loki heard footsteps following him, and he glanced over his shoulder and saw a rather peculiar looking man trailing after him. Said male was wearing what looked like a leather uniform that covered all but his left arm. The arm itself seemed to be made of some kind of shiny metal. His face was obscured by a pair of dark goggles and a mask covered up his lower face. The design of the mask was odd, almost like a gas mask.

"Can I help you?" Loki asked in a casual voice as he came to a halt.

The man also came to a halt, standing absolutely still without responding to his question. Loki turned to face him, noting his brown, greasy hair, which, alongside his forehead, seemed to be the only thing visible beyond the man's arm.

Loki tilted his head as he looked the male over. The man's posture was very... strict… Almost mechanical. It was odd.

"You do know that if you don't talk, then it will be challenging to have, oh what's the word, a 'conversation,'" he pointed out in the teasing, sarcastic manner he usually used to piss people off. He often needed his opponents to _talk_ to him, so he could twist their words and ideas of what was going on to his advantage.

The man ignored his words, however, and continued to remain still and stoically silent. That is until he suddenly reached into a pocket and pulled out a gun. The gun was aimed directly at Loki, and the trickster's eyes widened in shock. Without even hesitating, the mysterious man pulled the trigger.

Loki barely managed to jump aside in time, given the distance between them. He didn't waste any time, turning around and immediately booking it away from his attacker. The mysterious stranger wasn't too far behind him as the man had started to jog after him, all while shooting at the same time. Bullets flew in all directions, and people screamed at the unexpected danger that they faced. Loki didn't let their panic stop him. He shouted as he ran, less to warn others and more to get them out of his way

"MOVE DAMMIT!" he had to keep pushing people aside to gain himself passage.

A huge object came flying down from above and crashed right in front of Loki, almost squishing him. Thankfully he was able to stop in time, and his jaw dropped at the sight. It was an entire _god damned car._ Loki stumbled back a few steps.

 _The guy is strong enough to fling cars around,_ he thought to himself. _Well, that's just bloody fantastic, now isn't it?_

A wide-eyed Loki glanced behind himself and saw that the man was slowly but surely advancing on him, emptying the magazine of his gun and re-loading it as he moved. Loki did not waste any more time, and he turned a corner to run down a nearby alleyway. He took the next left, familiar with the surrounding turns and knowing of a few places he could hide. He could lose the nut job here. It was perfect, it was safe, it was…

Just then, a loud voice boomed in Loki's head.

 _'LOKI!_ '

"ARGH!"

Loki fell to his knees, hands to his head as Heimdal's deep voice boomed inside of his skull. By the Norns, but that had _hurt_ dammit!

" _What?!"_ he shouted up at the empty air above him. "I'm a bit _busy_ right now if you can't tell!"

 _'You are not to harm any humans, neither directly, nor indirectly,'_ Heimdal reminded him sternly.

"And I haven't!" Loki shouted in aggravation. "What's your deal?!"

 _'Your actions have brought this assassin to this street,'_ Heimdal informed. _"You'd better make sure that he harms no Humans as he chases you. It will be considered a breach of the terms of your punishment!"_

" _What_?" Loki looked up, incredulity marring his expression as he shouted back. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! What am I supposed to do, go out and save their useless hides?! Alone and unarmed? Against someone who is actively trying to _KILL ME_?"

There was no reply from the guardian.

Loki groaned aloud and threw up his hands. How vexing.

"Urgh, _fine_!" he shouted angrily as he turned around and ran back out into the fray. He was just in time to see several people in police uniforms start to surround his gas-mask, leather-clad assassin.

"Put down your weapons!" an officer exclaimed loudly. "PUT THEM DOWN NOW!"

Yeah… That wasn't going to work, even Loki knew better. And it went just as Loki expected it to. His assassin friend remained as silent as a robot. The man simply lifted his gun and fired at the officer who had shouted at him. The police all yelled, each moving to take cover, but then halted in surprise. A sphere-like force field was surrounding them, stopping the projectiles in the air. The bullets fell harmlessly to the ground a moment later.

Wide-eyed, they looked around in confusion before their eyes fell on Loki, still in his S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform with a helmet hiding his face. He was holding the little, square shield device that he had made. He turned it off as he groaned and waved a hand at the group of officers.

"Okay, listen, you guys can't be hurt. I know it's annoying, but that's how it is. So just stand back," he stated as he pulled out a dagger.

 _'Loki,'_ Heimdal's voice blared a warning in his head.

"I know Heimdal, _I know!"_ Loki exclaimed softly before running forward.

He ran directly towards the masked man who aimed his gun once more at Loki. Loki just barely managed to dodge another shot and jumped at the masked man, but the other male blocked his lunge. It became a dance of kicks and punches, each expertly blocking the other as Loki pressed forward to force his opponent further down the street and away from the other Humans.

 _Things are just getting better and better!_ Loki thought angrily as he fought.

The guy definitely loved his guns. Considering how many times Loki had been forced to knock the hand holding the pistol away from himself or those behind him, he was surprised the fool hadn't had a gun installed on that damn metal arm! Not only that, but he was strong enough to fling cars around and had clearly trained in various martial arts! Furthermore, he continued to refuse to speak despite an occasional taunt from Loki. Loki had no way of playing with the fool's mind!

Loki twisted about and pulled out the 'sleep stick.' As the little object looking like an ordinary pen, he hoped that his opponent would disregard it. All Loki had to do was poke this guy's forehead with it to send him to Dream-land.

 _Come on!_ Loki snarled to himself as he pushed and pushed for an opening as they exchanged blows. _Just one blow! GODDAMMIT!_

Sadly... the guy was good. Very good. He wouldn't let Loki come close enough to hit him with his trump card. Worse than that… Loki could feel himself start to be overpowered by the other warrior. He was being worn down, slowly but surely. His body didn't have the stamina it would have in his real, unrestricted form. Instead, he was out of breath. Sweat covered his entire body…

 _Come on, just let me touch your forehead with this_ , Loki thought desperately. _I just need one chance..._

And just like that, Loki mistimed his dodge. The man's robotic arm shot forward and wrapped around Loki's throat. Loki gurgled as he was hoisted up off the ground.

"At least…. Give me a name or something," he wheezed out. The man remained quiet as Loki started to see black spots. Oh god... Was this it? Was he going to die right now? _Here_?

 _This is all your fault, Heimdal!_ he thought as his vision started to darken. _You could have let me run! This isn't my fault!_

The man just stood there, seemingly not moving a single muscle as he slowly choked Loki. Loki flailed about, trying to loosen that metal arms hold or strike at the man's face with the damned 'pen,' but the man's reach was too long.

 _No… I can't die here… I will not… I survived too much. I've lived too long to die so simple a death. You stupid, foolish mortal… You stupid…_ Loki felt himself slipping, hands starting to fall limp.

A rounded shield came flying through the air out of seeming nowhere and hit the man right in the head. The blow forced the masked man to drop Loki to the ground and fall back several feet, holding his head. A man with blond hair and bright blue eyes rushed over and stood over Loki's prone form protectively, catching the shield as it rebounded and slipping it on his arm. Loki gasped, partly in pain and partly in surprise as he looked up at his rescuer.

"Ste-Steve Rogers?" he asked in a croaking voice.

"You all right there, soldier?" Steve asked in a concerned voice without taking his eyes off of Loki's attacker.

Loki gasped for air as he thought of how to respond and then got an idea that was sure to work. This was his best chance to really stir up trouble.

"Hydra!" he informed Steve in a desperate sounding voice. "Hydra is still around! They sent this guy to kill me! They're inside of S.H.I.E.L.D. itself!"

Steve's eyes widened as his head turned in Loki's direction.

" _What_?" he asked, his own voice sounding slightly croaky with shock.

"You can't trust anyone!" Loki said as if frantic. "I've been uncovering proof. There are Hydra agents in S.H.I.E.L.D.!"

They had no more time for further conversation as now their assassin friend had regained his equilibrium and attacked once more. This time around, Loki scrambled off to the side, allowing Rogers to take over the effort of subduing the other man. Steve actually managed to hit the assassin in the head a second time with the shield, further disorenting the man. Loki smirked satisfied in satisfaction once he was out of range and had a chance to look over things. He decided that now was a good time get out of the area. This time, as he went running to down a different path in order to 'vanish', there were no objections from Heimdal. Loki took that as agreement that Rogers would have the issue under control.

Once the evening rolled around, Loki had to groan to himself as he laid down on the couch. His entire body was protesting with the pain of moving about. Not to mention the red marks around his neck that he was ignoring. He had dealt with worse. This was nothing. Nothing at all.

Once again, both the internet and the television were kind enough to provide him with the information that he needed regarding the days events. The assassin and Rogers had been engaged in combat for a long while. Several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had met up with Rogers shortly after their fight was over. The didn't catch their assassin however. The man had seemed to realize that, not only had his target been lost, but he was outnumbered. The man had successfully retreated from the area.

Loki groaned as he laid back fully. Perhaps now was the time to just retire from this little 'poking the hive' project. He had set the snowball rolling so to speak, and now Rogers knew about the infestation as well. Just having 'Captain America' aware of the situation was sure to start an avalanche all on its own. At this point, he just needed to stay out everyone's way...

Loki abruptly remembered Heimdal's voice booming in his head, and he groaned in dismay. He _couldn't_ just stay out of it. He actually had to hang around at the fringes of things and make sure that no one got hurt specifically because of his pranks.

Great… Just great.


	13. Remember

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Another drawback of this much weaker mortal body was that it required that Loki sleep…

Of course, Loki's original body also demanded that he rest, but not nearly to the same extent as his altered state. He used to be able to stay awake for days on end, and his mind would remain just as sharp. Since his forced alteration, Loki found that he needed to sleep every day for at least six to eight hours, or else his mind would grow foggy and unfocused. That was something he could not afford, especially not now when he had a masked man out there looking for him.

This had led to the most annoying thing that he'd ever encountered; Loki couldn't sleep. He needed to, now more than ever before in his life. Yet such slumbering bliss was being denied to him.

He twisted and turned about in his in bed, each movement causing his entire body to protest. Cold sweat ran down his back, and a pained moan escaped his lips as he tried to push away the lingering sensation of a hand around his throat. The memory of that man's robotic arm hoisting him into the air, squeezing the life out of him, would not leave him. Again and again, the memory replayed in his mind, and each time Loki was powerless against him... helpless...

He growled and rolled onto his back, his hand reaching out above him as he tried to summon his magic to him. Once again, nothing happened. His magic wasn't just denied to him, it just... wasn't there.

At least the last time Loki had faced such a threat, he had still had his magic and strength available to him. He had still been able to fight back! The last time...

A time where another cold, cyborg arm had held his throat painfully tight. That one had belonged to a blue-skinned, female alien with eyes dark as the vastness of space itself.

" _Most days… I feel nothing," Nebula had said in a voice void of emotion. "Do you know what I have to do to feel anything? Anything at all?"_

_Loki had smirked at her, ignoring the hand holding his throat. He had the strength of an Asgardian. Her strength, though significant enough to hold him, was not enough to prevent him from speaking._

_"Oh, please, my dear do regale me with your tale," he said sarcastically as if they were having a friendly conversation over tea._

_Nebula's eyes remained blank, her expression practically as robotic as the arm that held him. She tilted her head as she looked at him, for all the world looking like a curious bird that might peck his eyes out._

_"As I grew, Thanos took my body away from me. Piece by piece. Part by part. It was so painful at first. Then I got used to the pain. I could longer feel it searing through my body. No," she said calmly, her free hand passing over Loki's face, almost... lovingly. "I have to see others experience pain now, even if the pain is merely a fraction of what I felt. I feel something when I see it. Do you understand? I can feel… Ah, but Father has been very nice to me today. Father has given me a pretty new toy to play with."_

_Loki had jerked his head forward, biting viciously into the hand touching him. Despite drawing blood, Nebula didn't move, didn't even so much as flinch. In fact, she looked disappointed. As Loki let go and spat away her blood, she tilted her head the other way and looked over the injury. Her grip had not flagged in the slightest._

" _I should have felt something from that," Nebula observed with a seemingly sorrowful sigh. "I did not feel a thing. Again. I had hoped one of your strength would allow me to feel pain again."_

" _Sister, dear," another alien spoke up, this one male and looking even stranger. The male had no nose and thin white hair falling down to his shoulders. "We mustn't be rude to our guest."_

" _Don't interfere, Ebony," Nebula said firmly as she turned her attention to her 'brother.' "Father gave me the toy."_

" _He gave_ ** _us_** _a toy," Ebony corrected sternly as he sat down in a nearby chair. Bundles of needles suddenly appeared, floating around beside him the air. "And what a fine specimen it is! I am going to look forward to picking through his brain."_

_Loki's eyes remained harsh as he glared at the other man._

" _If you wish to scream for your mother to aid you, I suggest that you do so now," Ebony encouraged with a sickly smile. "You might not be able to in the future."_

_Loki smirked, his mein of bravado not fading in the slightest despite the danger that he faced._

_"Tell you what, you wrinkly old fool," Loki started mockingly, "_ **_if_ ** _you can actually make me scream with pain, then I'll tell you everything I know."_

" _Oh? Is that a challenge?" Ebony asked, his eyes flashing with sadistic glee._

" _Sounded like it to me, brother," Nebula said, her lips curling up into a cruel smile._

" _Well, then. I suppose we'd best get started, yes? I'd hate to disappoint," Ebony commented idly._

_A needle floated forward and pressed itself against Loki's scalp. The pain was immediate... and intense. It was like a spear of white-hot iron fresh out of the forge was being jammed into his skull. It was so severe a pain that Loki's vision was going white…_

_But he_ **_did not_ ** _scream._

_"Ah... Let the fun begin," Ebony grinned coldly, and the pain intensified._

Loki's eyes flew open, and he sat up abruptly. His heart was pounding in his chest, his head ached something fierce, and he was left gasping for air as he looked around frantically. Where was he? A bare room? With... furniture? This... wasn't a cell. It… where? It took a moment for Loki to realize that he was in his own room. A room that he had bought. A place in... in New York. That was it. He was on Midgard. On Earth.

He tried to collect his thoughts, rubbing at his head. He was drenched in sweat, his body wouldn't stop shaking… Worse of all was the hated thought that Heimdal had probably witnessed the entire thing. Loki groaned and covered his face with his hands. He forced himself to take several slow, deep breaths to calm his racing heart.

He wasn't scared…

He was a _god_...

He didn't _need_ magic or grand strength to win against his foes.

_He was a god._

He kept reminding himself of that fact over and over again, forcing himself to ignore the ghost feeling of fingers wrapping around his throat, hoisting him up, choking the life from him...

Loki stood up abruptly and took a few steps away from his bed, only to stumble. He barely managed to grab hold of the back of the chair at his computer desk, halting his downward moment. He gasped and panted for breath, fingers clawing at his neck. Scratching at the memory of fingers that _were not there_.

Why…

Why was he so damned weak? By the Norns, Hel, by the Midgardian's most common God, couldn't even manage to _walk to the_ _bathroom_! He couldn't. He needed... No… _No_.. Loki didn't need them. He didn't need _Thor_. He didn't need _Odin_. He didn't need _Heimdal._ He didn't need... No.

 _No_.

He could figure this out on his own. After all, he was _Loki._ The God of Mischief, Trickery, and Pranks.

His fingers tightened around the back of the chair, and he straightened himself out of his hunched position. He abruptly grabbed the back of the chair with both hands and let out a mighty roar, throwing the chair across the room so that it smashed against the far wall.

" _AAARGHHH_! You want me to play your little _game_ Heimdal!? Play _Odin's_ game?!" he exclaimed loudly, throwing his head back and spreading out his arms. "I'll play your damned game! So you had best _watch_ me! WITNESS ME!"

An angry shout boomed up from underneath him. It was that awful woman living below him.

" _What_ is going on up there?!" she harangued. "Be quiet, will you?! Some of us have _work_ tomorrow!"

Loki's eyes narrowed, and he glared down at the floor beneath his feet. He held his tongue, his mind calming as the stress from his night terrors finally faded away. His downstairs neighbor seemed to calm down as well. Or at least, she'd stopped yelling at him. He took a deep breath and let it out, nodding to himself resolutely.

There was a way to turn this, this _farce_ to his advantage. He would find the path needed and exploit it. He would show them all…

He would _never_ be made a fool of again.


	14. Finding answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Loki's apartment was quite the sight these days. Especially since things outside had gone to Hel in a handbasket...

Hydra bringing in the Winter Soldier had been a major mistake for the secret organization to make. Said action had tipped S.H.I.E.L.D. off to their activities, proving without a doubt that the information Loki had been sharing about a 'secret group' was accurate. In turn, they had deployed Rogers, the Good Ol' Captain America, out on a mission to try and uncover more information on the group. Hydra's reaction? Take acts that only _further_ exposed their presence to Rogers and the others.

A brilliant job that.

Loki had indeed sent that 'snowball' rolling as intended. And to make matters worse, there was no stopping it! Loki couldn't be bothered to check in on Rogers and his activities, the man alone would make sure that no one was hurt on either side of the conflict. No, Loki's eyes were glued to a computer screen for the third day in a row for another reason entirely. That reason was also why there were way too many dirty coffee mugs and a half-filled pot sitting on the table next to his open laptop.

The Winter Soldier. The man on the run from police and S.H.I.E.L.D.. The man who had a kill record as one of the best assassins in the world. He was Loki's problem, because he was the one most likely to kill someone. And any such death would be _Loki's_ fault.

Loki hadn't really bothered to look in a mirror recently. It wasn't like he was going to leave the room any time soon. Had he bothered though, he would have found that his pupils had grown slightly dilated, his hair was loose of its' tie and was a mess, and he had dark patches under his eyes. All in all, he looked quite manic at the moment.

 _Who are you, Mr. Robot-arm assassin?!_ Loki thought to himself with a small, vicious sounding snarl. _I_ ** _shall_** _find you! I will learn the words that make you tick. To make you falter in your goal._

It was long and strenuous work, but Loki had managed to dig up pictures. All of which were connected with some unexplained 'disaster' involving a lot of dead people. There was nothing to be found when he looked for singular attacks, but it was easier to hide a singular murder behind the guise of an accident. Working his way backward, Loki had started to focus on those unexplained incidents where many people had died all at once due to explosions, gas leaks, and other 'mass accidents.' It was slow going, trying to sort through each and every image and piece of footage to see if he could find his robot-armed assassin, but he was determined to find a lead.

Most of the footage and photos were duds. Of course, they were. Nothing of use to be found in the Vietnam incident where American soldiers had thrown harsh chemicals on the native population.

Nothing in the mass shooting in Rwanda where there were two tribes of dark-skinned people at each other's throats. A shooting that ended up being a massacre on both sides.

Nothing in Tibet when China had taken over and cruelly shot down any native resident that refused to bend knee.

Only _one_ thing could be confirmed as Loki looked over all of these atrocities; that there were, and likely would always be, incidents where

humans killed humans. Where they tortured and maimed each other over the strangest things.

The more he saw, the more he felt that his very first opinion of them had been entirely correct… humans were dangerous, foolish creatures.

It didn't matter _which_ nation he looked at. It didn't matter what skin color they had. It didn't even matter what language they spoke. Every country, every civilization, every religion, had a dark history that involved a lot of blood, a lot of pain, and a whole lot of death.

Even now, in this supposedly enlightened age of technology, it was still happening. As Loki casually looked over the screen, elsewhere on this god-forsaken planet, humans were being shot at by other humans.

 _What an absolutely rotten place,_ he thought to himself with a shake of his head. _They should have let me take over when they had the chance. I wouldn't have allowed this waste of energy and resources._

Loki's eyes scanned across the details behind yet another human massacre. 'The Bogside Massacre, Ireland, 1973. A group of British law officers opened fire on innocent Irish protesters.' Loki groaned and rubbed at his forehead as he read the year. He was starting to go too far back. Humans didn't live that long, and his assassin was probably a baby at that poi-

Loki froze for a moment before he jerked forward, squinting his eyes at the old newspaper image… It couldn't be, but it _was_. _That was him!_

But… This newspaper was from _1973_?! Wait.. how old could Midgardians live to be again? One quick google search later, the oldest recorded human listed had lived to be 122 years old. Although reports were conflicted on if that was the woman's actual age before she died. Still... He searched a few images and then frowned. Humans around the age of fifty already looked like wrinkled raisins most of the time. He sat back in his seat and tapped at his chin.

 _Alright then,_ Loki thought to himself. _Let us be very, very generous to this guy. There are some older Midgardian's who have aged well based on the photos I've found, so let us assume that he is a fifty-year-old Midgardian who keeps himself in shape. As it is 2013 right now, that would mean that in 1973... the man would be ten years old at the time. No... that..._

Loki wasn't entirely sure how human aging and biology worked, but his calculations didn't seem possible. Even if he accounted for the man being, let's say, eighteen or twenty at the time that photo was taken, the man would be in his sixties by now. He shook his head and continued to look through the images for more glimpses of his quarry. The further back he looked, the more photos he found. There were even photos that showed the man's blue eyes. Something seemed off, though...

Those eyes… even in the photos, they looked blank. Lifeless. So did his face. Loki managed to find a decent, somewhat up-close photo and saw that the man's pupils were tiny pin-pricks, even though he stood in the shadows. Several hours after, Loki managed to find the man's image showing him at the scene of multiple incidents. The man himself never changed.

His eyes and his face, though? That complete lack of reaction or emotion? It stayed the same. Which was strange. There were no photos where he looked like he was talking to anyone, either. Not in _any single one_ of the pictures. Was he, quite literately, a machine then? A highly sophisticated robot?

Loki frowned and then shook his head. No, obviously, that wasn't the case. Loki had _heard_ the man breathing beneath the mask as they fought. This _was_ a man. He was very much alive. However, given the age discrepancy, Loki found himself asking a very different question; was he of Midgard? Was he even Human to begin with? Or... perhaps he was like Steve Rogers or even Bruce Banner. A child born of Midgard but with a changed and modified body that gave him youth and strength beyond the norm?

And then there was the way the man had moved. The odd way that he failed to take account of anything but the target he was hunting down. Well, perhaps it was not that he was unable to take account of, he _did_ target the officers when they were in his way after all. Yet that single-minded focus reminded Loki of something.

Loki snapped his fingers and grinned.

Oh yeah! His little bow-wielding pet! When he had put the archer under the control of the mind staff, his body had started to move just like that. A being that moved without hesitation, without remorse. He had, for all intents and purposes, become a mindless machine that carried out- _wait_ …

Loki looked up at the ceiling and frowned.

That was it! _Mind control_ …

He sat up again, leaning forward as he looked over the image on his computer screen. Could that be it?

This man was an agent of HYDRA. He was the guy that they sent out to do all their dirty work for them. A supposedly willing slave that carried out their orders without question. Without remorse.

Would HYDRA be above mind control? Certainly not, they would love to use such a trick. And… There was also the way he hadn't even responded to Loki's taunts. If Loki was right then... that was brilliant, that was _useful_! He could win without having to harm the stupid human.

If the man was under some kind of mind control, then all Loki had to do was to _break_ Hydra's hold on the man's mind. But how…?

Loki turned his head, looking at the 'sleep stick' laying innocently on his table. That... might work. Its' functions were rather straightforward after all. It turned off the nervous system of the brain for a moment, causing them to fall unconscious without causing damage.

Basically, it acted like a jump-start for the brain.

Loki picked up the 'pen,' carefully weighing it in his hand. Perhaps, with a few modifications, it could cause more than just a minor 'reboot.'

Well… It was, at the very least, worth a try.

What's the worst that could happen?

Other than, you know, causing his death…


	15. Going vigilanty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

As Loki had finally turned his eyes to what was happening in the here and now, he found himself suitably amazed at the chaos he had born through his actions.

He had really done it. Magicless as he was, he had once more made a tiny little snowball and send it rolling down the hill. The result was the metaphorical avalanche right in front of him on the news. Steve Rogers had been as busy as S.H.I.E.L.D. itself, being kind enough to keep Loki's little brain-washed Assasin occupied. He had also somehow managing to get files on _all_ of the currently active Hydra agents who had not only infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., but also the American government itself. Their faces and names were displayed on the national channels, warning the public at large to be wary and to report sightings to the proper authorities.

Loki couldn't stop himself even if he'd wanted to. He went to find one of the highest rooftops in the city, that he had access to, all so that he could sit down on the ledge and peer over the city. So he could watch from on high all of the chaos raging in front of him. Knowing this was the result of his gentle blowing on a weakly built house of cards… why, it filled him once more with joy. He truly was still the god of Mischief, Lies, and Chaos.

Even in mortal form, with his magic and strength stripped from him, Loki was still capable of creating such beautiful havoc as what was going on far below him.

It was... nice. Sitting on high once again, looking down to see the masses, Humans, in this case, running around like a disturbed ants nest. It was almost nostalgic, seeing the results of his handiwork. Witnessing the fall of fools.

A rather massive boom caught his attention, and he looked up. Loki smirked. Several large helicarriers were being blown up and falling from the skies above the city to land in the nearby waters. Even such destruction was a marvel to behold. A spectacle greater than any fireworks show. Truly beautiful. He frowned a moment later and looked up at the clearing sky.

The biggest question now, was why wasn't Loki hearing Heimdal's booming voice inside his skull? There was nothing but the silence of his own mind. Did Heimdal not acknowledge him as the Creator of this beautiful Chaos made manifest? Had he not been concerned about Human lives lost due to his actions?

That was kind of sad. Insulting, in fact. It was Loki's own actions that had opened this particular can of worms. Then again, it was possible that this level of havoc, or something similar, was going to happen sooner or later anyway. It would explain why Heimdal was staying quiet about it all. Loki had to admit, _if_ that was the case, then all Loki had really done was push the time-table of events forward ahead of schedule.

Still, even despite that, it felt nice to be reminded that he still had such power even as he was. He was, and always would be, the god of Mischief. That could not be taken away from him as easily as his magic and strength.

Loki stood up as the last helicarrier fell into the waters below. If he desired to act, then it had to be now while the iron was hot, or he would lose his opportunity. It was a good thing that he'd already gotten dressed in an appropriate outfit. He was dressed in an all-black outfit. And that did mean _all_ black from head to toe. Shirt, pants, boots, socks, gloves, necktie. All of it black as night.

His face was covered by a mask that was designed to look like a raven. Loki had found the mask by accident in a shop and had found it amusing. It would work as well as any other mask, really. He just needed to keep his face hidden.

Loki had heard of another figure also running around in black clothes, in a place called Hell's Kitchen. It was located in another part of New York. A much cheaper, _dirtier_ part where only scum and gangs lived. Heh, it would only work more in Loki's favor if people believed _he_ was this 'devil of Hell's Kitchen.' They would be too busy blaming the 'Devil,' and wouldn't bother looking around for a 'new player' in the 'hero' game.

Loki took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His strength had been reduced to match that of a Midgardian, but he _was_ still stronger than the average Human. He had made sure to test that during his early days stuck planetside.

His fighting techniques, however? Those he had practiced for hundreds of years, and muscle memory was not so easily taken away. Even if his mind was somehow wiped, said muscle memory would still persist. He'd seen that reality confirmed time and again for Midgardians and Asgardians alike who had sustained head injuries bad enough to disrupt one's memory.

Just then, he was remembering times in the past. In his youth. Times where he would trek across Midgard and other worlds, climbing their mountains, jumping over cliffs, scaling to the tallest of trees. The sense of pure _freedom_ he hadback then had been wonderous. He had been free to walk on Midgard and amuse himself in whatever way he might desire.

Loki chuckled and took a few steps back. He then took a running start to run and jump across the wide gap between the two buildings, only to land safely on the other rooftop. A wild rush of adrenaline pulsed through his body as he dashed from roof to roof, it felt so good… He nearly forgot he wasn't free and wasn't under constant observation.

Even then, though…

 _You're watching, aren't you, Heimdal? Are you allowing Thor a peak of what I am up to? Letting the others to see just how little I need you?_ he thought to himself with a sneer. _See what I can do when it's just me. When you idiots are not there to hold me back._

Finally, he reached his destination; S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. People were fighting everywhere. HYDRA agents were scrambling about the building, trying to destroy any and all evidence of their plans while S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, in turn, were trying to stop them from doing just that. Since everyone was wearing S.H.I.E.L.D. uniforms, though, it was a giant mess. No one could know for sure who they could or couldn't trust.

Fortunately for Loki, he thought that both groups could rot for all he cared, only two things concerned him now.

 _Where did they put my staff?_ he thought to himself with a frown. _And where is my little robot-armed assassin, I need to have a word with him._

With all the commotion going on, as Loki jumped down with sleep stick in hand, barely anyone noticed him. They were all too busy with their own problems. This allowed Loki to fairly dance across and through the building. Anyone who attacked him was swiftly and expertly dodged before he poked them on the forehead with his little pen. He left a trail of slumbering forms behind him. Finally, Loki found and gained access to a nice big computer room that had no outside internet access. A storage room of information. What he needed _had_ to be in here somewhere.

Whistling a little tune, Loki found his USB and plugged it and his laptop into the nearest USB ports. He casually looked over a few files before simply setting the computer to download _all_ files within to his new terabyte USB for later review. After he had started the download, footsteps sounded from behind Loki. He set his computer down and turned around to see just the man he'd wanted to find.

A man with brown greased hair, his left arm shining silver, _artificial_ , and guns hanging from his belt. This time, his goggles and mask were gone, exposing his face for anyone to see.

Yeah, he didn't look so good either.

Loki's little assassin friend had been beaten up good, that was for sure. The 'Winter Soldier' was sporting a large black-eye, a split bottom lip, a massive black-blue bruise on his cheek, dried blood on his scalp and forehead that looked like it came from a head wound, and much more. Loki looked over the rest of his body and would have winced in sympathy. If he'd had any sympathy to spare, that is.

'Mess' didn't even begin to cover the man's physical state of being just then.

"Oh, my," Loki turned to face his assassin friend fully. "Seems like Captain Rogers was kind enough to do all the dirty work for me. How kind of him."

The eyes looking at Loki were glazed over. The man hardly looked aware even now. He was likely running on pure instinct at this point. On the last orders he'd been given.

"I actually sympathies with you," Loki admitted in a soft voice. "You've been a slave for a very long time now, haven't you? Brain-washed for a single purpose; to do the will of others. It truly is a sad thing. Fear not, though. I am here to set you free."

The soldier stared at him for a moment, head tilting to the side like a curious dog. Nary a second later, though, the soldier attacked, and Loki stepped aside to avoid the blow aimed for his head. He smoothly dodged another blow and jumped up onto the nearby table. Oh yes, the man was so much slower now that he'd been injured by the good Captain.

"That's not a nice way to thank your savior, you know," Loki said, and he smirked at the other man. "Oh well. I suppose it's not your fault, is it? When your mind isn't even your own, then you just act the way you're told to. You can thank me later."

After voicing that little assurance, Loki jumped forward. They danced together, a close combat brawl of fists and kicks. Given the fact that Loki was all healed up while his little assassin was injured, Loki was steadily gaining ground as they fought. Finally, Loki had the opening he'd been waiting for, deflecting a sloppy one-two punch to force the man's arms out wide. He then reached up with the 'pen' and tapped it again's the man's forehead with a smirk.

"Gotcha!" Loki crowed victoriously.

The man's eyes widened in both shock and confusion, the first real emotion that Loki'd seen from him. The electrical charge jumped forth, and Loki saw it as it happened. Saw the haze clear from man's eyes. But it was only for a moment, as the man's eyes rolled backward in his head, and he fell down on the floor, limp as all of the other's hit by Loki's little device.

Loki let out a soft sigh. He stepped over the man's form and checked his laptop. Grinning, he pulled out the USB, now filled with data, and turned to the limp figure as he tucked away both pieces of technology.

"Now, as the Midgardian's say, _this_ is going to suck," he admitted before he bent down to pick up his new friend. He slung the other dark-haired man over his shoulder and started to head. "Come on then, out the back door for us. I bet that if we dig deep enough, that head of yours will have information enough for me to use!"


	16. New Pet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Often when you play as a particular character-type, props and settings are just as important as the costume and actor. And so, Loki had created a set for his next little performance.

The place he lived in had been quite spartan in terms of furniture and the like. More like a workspace than a 'home.' For the occasion, though, he had bothered to furnish it more before he'd left on his little mission. To make his 'character' more believable.

He'd bought a comfortable couch, and a dark brown wooden table sat in front of the TV. Old vinyl records of the Beatles and other singers hung on the wall as if they were priceless art pieces. He'd seen it in a magazine and knew that the mid- to -older generations held onto such things like dragons protecting their horde. Books from various authors had been picked up at the nearby flee marked, but they were just there to fill up the bookshelf he'd gotten. He had no idea what half of them were about, but placing the titles on display made it seemed like they had special meaning to him.

Upon arriving home, he had placed his assassin friend on the bed in his bedroom. Said bedroom had also been made to look as friendly and welcoming as possible. Ideally, it would help the man form a good first impression of Loki as he woke up. Hence why he had to make it look as genuine as possible.

There was a wooden armoire, filled to the brim with clean clothes of good quality. More books on another, smaller shelving unit, and a wall painting depicting a forest in calm dark green colors. All very calming, soothing things to look upon.

Loki himself was wearing a pair of brown pants and a brown waistcoat that was buttoned up over a soft, cream-colored shirt. The glasses from earlier were in place, resting on the bridge of his nose. His hair was neat and clean but had a slightly ruffled look to it to convey a relaxed air about him.

'Robert Johnson' was ready for his guest. All he lacked now… was his guest. The assassin still hadn't woken up yet. Loki sighed and went to pick one of the random books he had bought and sat down to read. Patience was the key here, no matter how much he wanted to 'get on with the show,' so to speak.

Loki was sitting on the couch hours later in the living room, casually reading said book when he heard it… someone was stirring in the bedroom.

 _Good… he's waking up,_ Loki thought with a smirk as he turned to the next page. _Now then, time to let him come to me. Give him the chance to feel like_ ** _he_** _is the one surprising_ ** _me_** _._

It took several minutes before his assassin friend actually came out to the living room. Loki could clearly hear his guest examining the bedroom, warily shifting things about as if looking for clues as to where he was. The other man wouldn't find anything in there though. Well, nothing other than books, clothes, fresh sheets, and so forth.

The man finally stepped into the living room, though Loki could not see him, only hear him as he moved about. Loki had deliberately left his back open to his assassin friend. If the first thing his guest saw was his back, then it was likely that he would feel safe and in control of the situation.

A surprisingly hesitant voice spoke up a moment later, "Um... excuse me?"

Loki made a good show out of jumping and dropping his book as if startled.

"Ah!" wide-eyed and making a good show of being surprised, Loki turned around. "You're awake! Ah, excuse me, I didn't realize you were up. I would have checked on you if I'd known."

Loki stood up and took a small step toward the other man. He paused and frowned as if in concern as he looked the assassin over.

"Do you need anything? You really shouldn't be up yet," Loki said in a worried voice. "I can get you some water? Or maybe some food? How is your face, does it still hurt?"

His assassin friend looked at him in both confusion, and no small amount of surprise as Loki spoke. He lifted a hand to his cheek, where Loki had applied a bandage.

"I.. I'm doing okay, actually," he breathed slowly. He winced in pain as he met Loki's gaze. He looked away and held his head, letting out a low groan of agony. "What… What happened to me? Why...? Oh god, my head hurts so much right now."

"You need to sit down!" Loki pulled a chair forward and helped guide his guest over to it. "Just relax, alright? I'll get you some water."

As his guest sat down, Loki walked over to the kitchen. Thankfully it was an open kitchen build, so he still had a clear view of his guest and what said guest was doing.

"How about some tea as well?" he offered in a slightly louder voice. "That always helps me relax whenever I have a headache. Is chamomile alright?"

"Yeah… That's fine," Loki's guest groaned again, rubbing at his head. "I.. I'm sorry if this sounds odd but, who are you?"

"Me? My name's Robert Johnson," Loki called back over his shoulder as he readied a glass of water and then filled the electric kettle with water. "And you are?"

He fell silent, eagerly awaiting a response to the simple-seeming question.

 _This is it,_ Loki thought with a mental grin. _Give me your name, my foolish little assassin. Who_ ** _are_** _you?_

"I'm… my name... is James," he said his name slowly as if trying it out after a long time of not hearing it. "James Buchanan Barnes. My... my friends... my friends call me 'Bucky.'"

Loki smirked as he turned on the electric kettle. Bingo. A name might not seem like much, but with the access that Loki had to the internet? It was all that he needed.

 _I have you talking, and I now know your name,_ Loki thought with a mental sneer. _You're mine now, James Buchanan Barnes, whether you realize it or not._

Ten minutes later, Loki came with a tray that had tea for them both, water, and some salty crackers. Even he knew not to offer too much in the way of food just then. It was likely that the man's headache would prevent him from stomaching anything more than light meals. He put the tray on the table and sat back down on the couch as he looked his guest over. Bucky was still groaning and had started mumbling softly to himself as he held his head.

"Are you feeling alright?" Loki asked, showing an innocent air of concern for the other man.

"I.. I'm not sure. My mind is kinda... floaty? It's like... It's like I've woken up from a nightmare, but it keeps coming back to me again and again now that I'm awake. It feels so real, and it's hard to figure out what's real and what isn't now that I'm awake," he sighed and looked up at Loki with a small frown. "How… Can you tell me how I got here? Or where 'here' even is. Or who you are? Everything feels... off."

Loki looked back at him with a pensive frown. He picked up one of the cups of tea and sipped it before he spoke.

"I brought you here," he admitted in a gentle tone.

Bucky frowned at him, blinking rapidly in confusion.

"Why?" he asked.

"I don't like slavery," Loki replied with a small shrug, "and to put it simply, Hydra was keeping you as a slave. Am I correct?"

A wide-eyed Bucky looked at him and then nodded. His eyes were flicking back and forth like he saw something that wasn't there. Memories

"You were… sent to kill me," Loki said slowly, keeping his voice gentle and kind. "Do you remember that?"

Bucky's eyes widened in shock, his face going pale.

"Kill... you? Why would I... You... I was sent to kill...? But you're not a..." he hissed abruptly, eyes going wide and flickering about a little more wildly than before. Loki stayed quiet, knowing the other man was trying to sort through his memories. "Steve?! How was he... wait. No... before that. A... leak? They wanted me to terminate the leak. You... You're the leak, right?"

Loki nodded and set down his cup of tea.

"I am. It… It was an accident, though," Loki informed the other man, using a sheepish tone now. "I... I found out that HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D... On a rather frightening level, no less. I tried to warn S.H.I.E.L.D. about the depths of their infiltration, but HYDRA kept intercepting the information before it could go too far."

Bucky looked at Loki askance and then snorted softly. He shook his head, eyes glinting with a small amount of mirth. It was the most emotion that Loki had ever seen from the man. The difference was intriguing and quite possibly useful. If the man was a naturally open individual, then Loki could use that to his advantage.

"You are not very good at delivering information. Not a single piece made it to S.H.I.E.L.D. higher-ups…" Bucky frowned and tilted his head as if in thought, "at least... not before you told Steve directly? I think I remember that right."

"Yeah…" Loki glanced down and chuckled ruefully. "I am not precisely an _agent_ myself. I just happened to stumble upon the information and thought I would do the right thing."

Bucky focused back on him again, his eyes growing soft and gentle. Even the smile he offered was sickeningly reassuring.

"You _did_. The right thing that is," Bucky assured Loki adamantly. His face turned pensive a moment later, his eyes again doing that odd flickering about thing. He rubbed at his forehead and let out a small grunt. "But you're... you're in danger now. Those Hydra agents, the ones not captured in the fallout, they'll want to kill you. By... by any means necessary. Oh... that's not good."

Loki looked up, twisting his face to look shocked. Fearful.

"But… They're gone now, right?" Loki asked in a semi-frantic tone as if doubting his new 'friend's' words. "It was on the news! Captain America defeated them!"

"HYDRA is a large _global_ organization. Right now, they are scattered, yes, but fractions would still remain even if the main 'head' of the organization is cut off. It's why they _call_ themselves Hydra in the first place!" Bucky stated. His voice was urgent. His eyes were honest and desperate. "Listen... it's going to be okay. I owe you big time, Robert. I'll make sure you're safe from them, I swear. No matter what, they won't take you."

Oh, this was going even better than Loki could possibly have imagined it to! The man, the _real_ Bucky sitting in front of him, he was one of those Humans with a bleeding heart! Such people were very, _very_ easy to manipulate. Give them a cause that they could believe in, and why, they would even martyr themselves for the 'cause'. Foolish, but the man was still an incredibly skilled soldier in so many ways.

 _Oh, what a lovely pet I've found,_ Loki thought to himself with another mental smirk. _Dear Bucky here will make_ ** _perfect_** _bodyguard. Going after him was absolutely worth it!_

Loki kept his shocked mask in place for a moment before shifting to one that looked thoughtful and contemplative. He nodded his head a few moments later. It wouldn't do to seem too eager to accept Bucky's 'help.'

"Yes, I… I see what you mean," he said carefully. He sighed and smiled gratefully at the other man. "Thank you for that. Bucky, I.. I'm sorry, these past few days has been pretty overwhelming for me. With you here to protect me, I feel a bit safer about things."

He held his own forehead, tucking his head down as if he was developing his own headache, and allowed his lips to twist in a gleeful smirk. Bucky voiced a small, uncomfortable 'you're welcome', before looking around the room. It was kind of the man, giving Loki time to 'come to terms' with things. Loki took a moment to indulge himself in his success before twisting his face back into its' prior, worried expression. When he met Bucky's gaze, he saw that the man's eyes were filled with pain.

"No… I _wish_ I could protect you," Bucky swallowed, and he tapped at his forehead a moment later. "But... I can't promise that. HYDRA still has ways to get inside my mind. I remember that. A phrase. Words... I can't remember exactly, but if they find me and can say them then... I won't be me anymore. I'll... be their _slave_ again."

He spat out the word 'slave' and looked to the side, hanging his head in shame. Loki nodded to himself. A trigger word, perhaps even an entire sentence or series of phrases, would likely reestablish their hold on the other man. Interesting… If Loki could _learn_ those words himself... Oh, the possibilities.

"But don't worry! I won't leave until I know you're safe," Bucky stated firmly. "It's the least I can do and… I think... I know someone who can help... since he's still alive. He's a friend and... well, I'm sure he can keep you safe."

"Oh?" Loki asked with a raised brow. Bucky seemed to be a bit confused as he spoke. It was as if he _knew_ his friend was alive but was having trouble _believing_ it now that his mind was his own again.

"You… You know about Steve Rogers, right? You called him Captain America earlier," Bucky started eagerly. "I'm not entirely sure _how_ he can be alive, here and... you know, still so young! But he _is_ , and that's what matters. If we can get you to him, then there's no way he'll let any harm come to you on his watch!"

Steve Rogers? This guy _knew Steve Rogers_?! And he was going to put in a _good word_ for Loki?

 _Oh, this is interesting!_ Loki thought to himself. _This is_ ** _very_** _interesting! Please, James 'Bucky' Barnes, do introduce me to the good Captain. One of Earth's mightiest heroes. In my debt for helping you, his_ ** _friend_** _? That sounds… absolutely wonderful._

Loki gave Bucky a small nod and a nervous smile.

"Thank you… I… I'll appreciate it."

"It's going to be okay!" Bucky assured. "I'll make sure of it!"

Oh yes… I have no doubt, Bucky. Things are indeed going to be just _fine_.


	17. Times past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Loki allowed Bucky to take the lead as they left his place. Honestly, as long as Bucky remained convinced that Loki was just an ordinary person way in over his head, then the man would remain protective of his new 'friend.' Bucky had asked if Loki had any hoodies so that they could travel with their faces covered. Loki was able to quickly acquire the requested garments, creating the perfect illusion. The two of them now looked no different than any of the others walking around with their hoods up, even though Bucky was a hardened soldier protecting a supposed civilian.

After Bucky had approved of the new outfits, he turned an earnest expression on Loki and frowned at the single bag that 'Robert' had grabbed.

"You have _everything_ you need, right?" he asked in a concerned tone. At Loki's raised eyebrow, Bucky held up his hands. "I'm sorry if I am being pushy, but I can't guarantee that you'll ever be able to come back here once we leave."

Loki made a show of swallowing as if nervous before he lifted the backpack over his shoulder. He shifted his stance as if gathering up the reigns of his courage and then nodded resolutely at the other man.

"Okay. If you're sure, then let's go," Bucky said, lifting his hood over his face. Loki did the same a moment later, and they casually left the apartment behind.

Together they made their way across New York itself, heading towards the park. Loki had done a bit of research and found that Steve usually ran around the lake every morning without fail. Well, the man _had_ stopped for a time, at least during the Hydra incident when he'd been too busy. Since then, he had restarted his little daily routine. Bucky himself had gone out a day before to confirm Loki's findings and make _sure_ that Steve had indeed resumed his usual exercise habit. When Bucky had returned, Loki had been both smug and amusingly surprised as Steve was no longer _alone_ during his runs. The 'good Captain' had acquired a work out buddy, and the pair would meet every morning to run laps around the lake.

Bucky had caught a name during his outing, Sam Wilson.

From what the other man told Loki, said workout session was a little on the pitiful side. Wilson would run at a steady pace, which was rather quick for a Human given Bucky's opinion. And yet by the time Wilson had completed a single lap around the lake, Rogers would have overtaken him several times, greeting the other man with a jaunty 'on your left' every time he passed him. After their morning run was over, they would then sit down on a bench facing the lake and exchange what looked like notes.

Bucky hadn't risked getting closer the day before, but now that they were approaching the pair, Loki could hear them saying things that led him to believe that Wilson teaching Rogers about modern pop culture. Rogers, in turn, was showing Wilson that he had done the previous day's 'homework.' Apparently, each day Wilson would give Rodgers a new song or movie to go see or listen to.

 _How... domestic of them,_ Loki thought to himself with a mental sneer. He glanced over at his new companion and almost sighed aloud in annoyance. Bucky's eyes were filled with an unmistakable sadness as he eyed the pair sitting on the bench.

Loki's own eyes were filled mostly with that of indifference... and calculation. Rogers' new friend was one more person that he would have to keep tabs on while he played his role of 'Robert.' Hopefully, this 'Sam' would turn out to be useful to him in some form.

Rogers suddenly seemed to notice he and his friend were being watched. His body tensed, and he turned to look directly at them. As he eyed them warily, Bucky reached up and pushed back his hood, revealing his face in the process.

Rogers' eyes widened, his expression shifting to one of utter shock. For a moment, Wilson stared in confusion at his companion before he too looked in their direction. Like the Captain, he gaped at them in shock before turning his attention back to Rogers, muttering something that Loki was too far away to hear. Rogers shook his head, replying just as softly before lifting a hand and gesturing for Wilson to stay put.

Steve stood up slowly, then he started walking towards Bucky and Loki at a sedate pace. Steve eyed Loki warily for a moment as he approached, but dismissed him and turned his focus back to Bucky. Bucky himself remained stock still, though Loki could feel his body tensing as the other man approached. By the time Rodgers' was only a few paces away and came to a halt, Loki's companion was nearly shaking in his boots.

Steve stared at the dark-haired man in front of him, ignoring Loki in favor of taking in the other man's haggard appearance. He raised a shaking hand hesitantly. Hopefully.

"Bucky?" he asked in a strained voice. "Bucky is that you...?"

Bucky's entire body was shaking at this point. He opened and closed his mouth several times, his own hand raising in a kind of feeble manner. His voice broke as he finally managed to utter a single word.

" _Steve_."

Steve Rodgers' eyes widened and started to glisten. Tears began to trail freely down Bucky's face. Steve abruptly leaped forward to pull Bucky into a bear-hug, teardrops leaving a trail on his own face in turn.

"BUCKY! I... You..." he let go of the other man for a moment only to grab hold of Bucky's face and rest his forehead against the other man's. He was looking at the man like he was a dream that would fade at any moment. "I can't believe it! I _knew_ it was you! I tried to call out to you to get your attention, but it was like you couldn't hear me."

"I… I heard you," Bucky said, swallowing roughly. His expression twisted to one of guilt. "I'm so sorry, Steve, I really am. I'm sorry. I couldn't stop..."

"No, no. It's okay, pal," Steve smiled warmly and drew Bucky back into another bear-hug. "It's _okay_. I'm just so glad to see you. That you're alive..."

As Loki watched them, weird images began to flash through his head. Images that made this all seem so familiar to him... ah. Now he remembered. It was several hundred years ago now that it happened.

 _Loki and Thor had ventured to Kronan to see if they could beat up some 'rock monsters.' Well,_ Thor _had thought that. Loki had thought of a grand trick to play, he had_ intended _to lure Thor into what was obviously a trap and would then later rescue his Brother, bent on taunting him all the while for being a muscle-headed fool._

_Events conspired against Loki, though. He had been overconfident and thus fallen to his own hubris. The Kronan's had figured out his plans when he had separated from Thor to lay his trap. Laughing all the while, they had caught him and locked him away in one of their prison cells. They had even refused him food to teach him a 'lesson in humility.' Fools. It might have taken him some time, but he had still escaped from the cell and made his way out. Once he had reached the wasteland, he had found Thor... still searching desperately for Loki._

_When he caught sight of him, Thor had gasped and let out a shout. Without any hesitation at all, he had run toward Loki as fast as he could, grabbing Loki up and pulling him into a tight hug._

_"LOKI!" Thor had cried out as he hugged his Brother to him. "I… I am sorry! I allowed them to take you! Forgive me my foolishness!"_

_Loki frowned, confused._ Loki _had been the one who went astray._ Loki's _own ineptitude had been the 'why' behind his capture. It was hardly_ Thor's _doing. Did his Brother really think that Loki was some sort of defenseless imbecile? Honestly._

" _It's okay," Loki sighed, more than a little impatient as he patted at Thor's back. "I'm... glad to see you too."_

_His admission was strained, but true. With Thor, he was safe and free to make his escape from this miserable planet. Thor beamed at him through the tears, blue eyes glistening. He had then put his hand on the back of Loki's head, pulling him forward so that he could press his forehead against Loki's as he would sometimes do. It was a sign of affection._

_"I am so glad that you are safe... Loki."_

A small commotion pulled Loki from his thoughts, and he looked forward to see that Bucky had firmly grabbed onto Rogers' shoulders and had shaken him from his relieved state.

"Steve, I'm sorry to cut this short," Bucky said, catching the other man's eyes with a determined gaze. "I can't stay. Hydra has ways to control me if they catch up to me. I need to go, alright?"

"Then you _have_ to stay," Steve replied back, his tone fiercely protective. "I can protect you from them if they're a threat. We can figure this out together!"

" _Please,_ Steve, I'm asking you; let me figure this out myself," Bucky said just as firmly. "Look, I swear, _if_ I need help, then I'll contact you, okay? Give me your cell phone number, and I can call you that way."

"Oh. Right," Steve said as his eyes widened. He'd forgotten about that.

"I _need_ to try to do this on my own, Steve," Bucky said softly. "But, and I _know_ this is a lot to ask… I-I need a favor from you in the meantime."

"I'm listening," Steve nodded gravely, his attention focused earnestly on his friend.

Bucky stepped to the side, pulling Loki forward and fully revealing him to Steve. He patted Loki's shoulder as he turned back to the other man.

"Steve, this is Robert," he said in the way of an introduction.

Steve blinked and looked at Loki with a raised brow. Loki slowly lifted his head, shifting the hood back enough to show his face. He offered the other man a shaky smile and then glanced around nervously to maintain his 'role' as a man in over his head.

"Robert was the leak," Bucky said. When Steve raised a brow, Bucky was quick to clarify his statement. "The leak that revealed HYDRA to S.H.I.E.L.D.. He's not safe at his place anymore. He's been in danger since they sent... _me_... after him."

Steve nodded gravely as Bucky explained the situation.

"I see. He needs protection. It's okay, I got it," he said, giving them both a reassuring smile. Bucky held up a hand.

"There are still active traces of HYDRA within S.H.I.E.L.D.," Bucky pointed out firmly, "you _can't_ hand him over to S.H.I.E.L.D. and expect him to be safe."

"I know," Steve replied, his smile fading and his expression darkening somewhat. "Thankfully, I'm part of a different group. We can act _outside_ of S.H.I.E.L.D. itself."

Bucky smiled, his stance relaxing once more.

"I've heard about the Avengers," he admitted with a soft chuckle. "To think Howard's runt would grow into such a..."

"Oh, you don't even know the half of it," Steve sighed deeply, and Loki almost laughed. "Tony's a good guy underneath it all though. You can trust him to watch over Robert when I'm not available."

Bucky nodded at that and then placed a hand on Loki's shoulder.

"Robert saved my life. My _mind_ ," he revealed to the other man. "He's the one who pulled me out … I think I was hit in the head or something, because I blacked out while... um, trying to 'neutralize' him."

Bucky and Steve both winced and glanced at Loki, who shrugged and affected a grimace himself. He didn't want them finding out _how_ he had helped his cyborg friend. Not just yet at any rate. Bucky turned back to Steve and continued.

"When I woke up at Robert's place, my mind was my own again. I.. I could think for _myself_ again," he sighed and rubbed at his head. "I'm sorry that I can't be clearer about what happened. Everything is still a bit fuzzy. Um... does anyone amongst the Avengers wear a... a raven or a crow mask?"

Steve blinked at the question and then shook his head in the negative.

"This… would be the first that _I've_ heard of it if we do," Steve admitted.

"Right. Okay then," Bucky smiled weakly and then turned to look at Loki. He placed a hand on his shoulder, companionably. "Robert, this will be goodbye for now while I figure things out. Don't worry about things, though, alright? You can trust Steve!"

Slowly, Loki nodded his head as if he were still somewhat wary but, more at ease than he had been.

"Yeah, you're right. I think I can trust _the_ Captain America," he said with a weak chuckle. He then turned to Steve and offered him his hand. "Hello, sir, the name's Robert Johnson."

For a moment, Steve stood still as he locked gazes with Loki. Loki blinked as if confused and tilted his head.

"Um, Sir?" he asked. The Captain's eyes... he looked confused as if he were trying to solve a puzzle put in front of him.

 _What is this?_ Loki thought to himself warily. _Has the good old Captain figured something out?_

"Those eyes..." Rogers said finally, his tone hesitant. "That's... um… That's an unusual color of green, isn't it?"

Loki remained quiet for a half a second but pushed up his glasses a little further up his nose as if amused. Which he was.

"Yes, I suppose so," he said in a friendly tone. "Green eyes by their very nature are a mutation of the usual blue. It's curious, but not terribly so. My grandmother had them too. I like to think of it as a rare but pretty family trait."

Steve blinked at him a moment before his face finally warmed up. His smile seemed very genuine as he finally reached out and grabbed Loki's hand in a friendly but firm handshake.

"Well, may I say that I am pleased to meet you, Mr. Johnson," he said in a kindly tone. "I have to say, I owe you one. More than you can imagine, really. I give you my word, you will be safe with the Avengers."

"Thank you, Captain America," Loki replied as they shook hands. He let go and shifted the pack on his shoulder.

"Please, it's just Steve," said man said with a chuckle.

"Robert then," Loki smirked. He let his eyes glimmer with kindly amusement, but only for a moment as Rogers had turned back to Bucky almost immediately.

The pair began the process of saying their goodbyes, the eyes of both men going misty once more. Loki tuned them out and took a moment to take stock of the situation. That had been an excellent, formal introduction. His foot was now inside the door, so to speak, and everything was going smoothly. He chuckled softly to himself.

 _Time just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride,_ Loki thought smugly.


	18. Science bros!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Later on, after Loki had been led inside the 'Avengers Tower,' Tony stood staring at Steve. His brown eyes were narrowed on the man in a sharp-looking gaze, and a frown marred his lips. Steve looked right back at the other man. His own blue eyes, in turn, were steady, calm, and somewhat stern. The two men were just standing there, locked in a starring match of wills and determination. It was as if they were measuring each other. Testing each other on how serious they were about their respective viewpoints.

"So… Let me make sure I understand this. You want _me_ ," Tony began, pointing one finger at himself before waving his hand almost dismissively in Loki's direction. "To help keep _this_ guy safe. But _I_ won't get anything out of it. It's just a favor… to you?"

Steve nodded in agreement, his face serious.

"That right," he answered, before sighing softly. "Tony, you know I wouldn't ask you for something like this if it wasn't serious. You know what happened with HYDRA by now, right?"

"Yup," Tony said, rolling the 'p' into a loud pop sound even as he grinned in triumph and waggled a finger at Steve. "I was right. I told you that S.H.I.E.L.D. was full of shit, now, didn't I?"

Steve sighed deeply as if he was mildly perturbed by Tony's childish antics.

"Yes… Yes, you did," Steve admitted and shook his head. "Happy?"

Loki hadn't spoken up as of yet as the two talked. He'd elected to keep himself in the background and wait for the two to finish their discussion. It was hard not to jump in, though! Very hard.

Loki so _badly_ wanted to step forward and join the conversation. To call Tony by the name 'Anthony' to start off with. Maybe a few other names too. He didn't know precisely what it was about the man. It was rather easy to play the role of a well-meant idiot in front of the Captain, Bucky, and Sam, but Tony Stark? The Man of Iron? Oh, how he wanted to talk down to him. There was just something about him that invited the thought of poking and prodding at the man's mind. Maybe a prank or two-

 _NO!_ Loki mentally shook himself. _Contain your urges Loki. You need him to think that you are a total stranger. To make him feel like he owes you a debt just like the good Captain. Acting like yourself would clue the fool in on who you are. Don't say a word. Stay quiet. Just stay quiet._

"Of course!" Tony said smugly. "I was right. I'm _always_ happy about being right."

Oh, but that was _such_ a good opening to sass the other man. _Why_ was this so hard?

"But see, it's _because_ I can't trust S.H.I.E.L.D. that I have to go to you for this," Steve informed the other man in a severe tone. "Robert here? He was the one who revealed to us that HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. itself to such a degree. He's in danger, Tony, and we need your help."

Tony frowned and then turned at Loki.

"You're the leak?" he asked with a flick of his fingers. "Alright, so, what are you then? An ex-HYDRA agent that defected or something?"

His eyes were narrowed and filled with open distrust. Clearly, he wasn't going to believe Loki that easily, even if Steve had given 'Robert' the good word. Tony was the smartest one yet when it came down to things. Loki had come well prepared, however. He had already 'written' Robert's background, having repeated it to himself over and over so he wouldn't accidentally say something that contradicted his story.

"Not… exactly," Loki began slowly, as if mildly embarrassed. "I'm… a mythologist, actually."

That made both Steve and Tony blink in surprise and confusion.

"Mythologist?!" Tony asked, his hand rising to rub at his face. He pointed at Loki a moment later, his frown back full force. "How in the heck does a _mythologist_ get involved in HYDRA stuff?"

"Well, you see, I wouldn't call myself an _ordinary_ mythologist," Loki started to explain with a small smile. "When I was a kid, I was on a trip to Norway with my parents and-"

"Look, I don't need your life story," Tony interrupted with a dismissive wave of his hand as he rolled his eyes.

"I'll keep it short, I promise," Loki said, and Tony sighed and waved for him to continue even as he picked up a pen and started clicking it in a bored manner. "Anyway, on this trip, I ran across this strange artifact. It was strange, almost like it was somehow _alive_. The design was similar to that of old Norse craftmanship. But, it seemed so advanced compared to what was believed to be around at the time. That's when I came up with my hypothesis."

He looked away for a moment and then back up at the two listening to his little story. Steve looked like he was swallowing it hook, line and sinker, and even Tony looked more thoughtful than suspicious by this point. Good.

"I thought to myself, 'what if the old gods were real'?" he said, gesturing his hands in an eager motion. "Then I thought, 'What if they aren't gods per se but in fact aliens?' Of course, whenever I tried to share this hypothesis, people called me crazy, but the more I studied it, the more likely it seemed. It was frustrating, trying to keep my findings to myself as I researched all of the world's mythologies and how the various 'gods' might very well be real. And then, two years ago, Earth had a _visitor_."

"Thor..." Tony breathed out, his eyes widening slightly. The annoying 'click-click' of the pen he was holding had finally stopped.

"Correct, it was… a very vindicative experience," Loki continued, feeling quite pleased with himself at having gained the tin-man's full attention. "So much so that I packed up all my stuff and moved to America. I needed to try and get closer to where it all happened. To figure things out. However, the moment that I started seriously prodding and asking questions about what happened, HYDRA contacted me."

At this point, Loki looked to the side and allowed himself to grow teary-eyed. He was delighted when he was able to add in a proper little choked note to his voice.

"I-I... they wanted me to do research for them," he told them in a strained voice. "If I didn't comply then… Sorry, I... I'd rather not say."

At that, Steve looked beyond sympathetic with 'Robert's' plight. Tony, however? The Man of Iron was still frowning Loki's way mistrustfully. Once again, the man's actions were showing that he was the intelligent one of the bunch. Loki had his work cut out for him when it came to the rich-man turned hero. Loki had been careful with his story, though. The made-up background was enough to explain his vast knowledge of old myths _and_ would explain his 'eventual' interest in the mind staff.

Getting Stark to reveal its' location to Loki would likely be the trickest, and lengthiest, part of this entire con.

"So… ignoring the rest of your story for a moment, you're a _mythologist_ , is that it?" Tony asked, crossing his arms and ignoring Steve's disgruntled look. "So... What can you do for me?"

"I... Pardon?" Loki asked and blinked at the other man in confusion.

"I already hand out a lot of charity," Tony admitted in a rather blasé tone. He spun the pen around in his fingers, randomly clicking it a few times and then jabbed it, point first, in Loki's direction. "I mean, housing you won't affect me, obviously. Money isn't an issue for me."

Steve tried to interject, and Tony pointed the pen in his direction, flashing a look the man's way at the same time. Surprisingly, Steve held up his hands in surrender and sighed.

"Like I was saying," Tony continued, turning his attention back toward Loki. "Money isn't the issue. My question is this; HYDRA thought they had a use for you, why? What makes you so unique that they needed to strong-arm you into helping them?"

"Ah, I see what you mean," Loki nodded to himself and tilted his head. He held out his hand. "Okay, do you have some paper, and may I borrow that pen?"

Tony snorted and clicked the pen again before tossing it off to the side, ignoring Loki's outstretched hand.

"Who needs _paper_ nowadays?" he asked rhetorically. Tony lifted a hand, and a moment later, the holographic image of a piece of appeared in front of him. "Seriously, keep up with the times people. Use this."

Loki frowned as he stepped forward, looking at the holographic image. He then lifted a finger and touched the page, drawing his finger downwards. A line followed his finger, and he blinked.

"Oh! I see. How useful," he could literately draw and write using a finger.

He did bend down to pick up the pen that Tony had tossed aside. He glanced at it briefly and saw that it looked like a highly advanced pen. Either way, it would help him keep things tidy as he worked.

"Alright, so when Thor came and subsequently left Earth," Loki started to explain as he began to work on a long series of complicated formulas, "he was using something that he called the 'Bifrost' to go from place to place. This let off a massive surge of energy. I was able to view the energy readings, and I tried to figure out how it might be possible to transport someone from galaxy to galaxy. The answer? The Bifrost transforms matter into light! To do _that_..."

Loki continued talking as he worked on explaining the formulas he was putting onto the holographic 'paper,' which widened as he worked. Said formulas were well known to Loki. To him, this was simply the basics of the ancient magic that he had learned ages ago. Earthlings would call it 'science,' but that didn't matter. What mattered was that it could be _explained_. Though, what was 'simple' for Loki was actually 'highly advanced' to any Midgardian.

As Loki worked, Tony had been stunned into silence. His wide eyes remained glued on the work Loki was doing, and his focus remained firmly locked on Loki. The man was eating up the explanations like a man starved for water. Steve? At first, the good Captain had looked confused and lost. After a few minutes of 'technobabble,' the other man tried to pretend that he was still listening, but Loki knew that the other man was zoning out. What he was explaining went far over the other man's head. Eventually, though, he gave up all pretense of 'listening politely' to Loki and went to sit down in a nearby chair.

Tony pulled himself out of his stunned stupor and started to ask questions. At first, it was like he was trying to trick Loki, thinking that the other man wouldn't be able to accurately answer obscure questions.

Loki recognized what he was trying to do, and answered all questions honestly. Soon enough, Tony's line of questioning became a lot more genuine, if not outright enthusiastic.

"You're actually able to speak my language!" Tony shouted and whooped after a few more minutes of rapid-fire questioning. Steve jumped in his seat and turned toward the two with wide eyes. "Why didn't you just say so from the beginning, Rob? Would have made this whole thing a heck of a lot simpler."

Loki blinked at the other man and tilted his head slightly.

"I'm sorry," he said slowly, "but ' _Rob_?'"

"Yeah. Rob," Tony replied with a cocky grin. "Short for Robert. What, don't like it?"

"Please keep it to 'Robert,' if you don't mind," Loki asked in a stiff tone.

"Sure, whatever you say," Tony said with a grin that made Loki want to smack the other man. " _Rob_."

"It's _Robert,_ " Loki exclaimed, almost shouted, really, but he was able to calm himself by taking a slow breath.

 _Keep calm,_ he thought darkly to himself. _Don't snap. Remember, you need the_ ** _Tin_** _Man to like you._

Tony grinned unrepentantly at Loki and then leaned forward, getting into Loki's personal space.

"Heh, you know, I honestly wonder, at what point in your life did you sell your soul to the devil to get such a brain?" Tony said in a teasing tone, and he would have tapped Loki on the head had Loki not dodged.

"What on earth are you _talking_ about?" Loki asked in annoyance as he swatted at Tony's hand, only to miss in turn as Tony moved away and hit the intercom.

"Hey! Doc! Poke, poke! I need you to come up here, asap big guy! You _have_ to see this!" Tony exclaimed jubilantly. He let go of the speaker button before the person on the other end even had a chance to reply.

Loki sighed, feeling profoundly _done_ with it all. More people to talk to, to trick and mislead. Just what he needed.

"So erhm.." Steve halted as he tried to parse what was going on and then perked up. "Does this mean you'll take him in?"

" _Duh_! A mind like his? Of course, I will!" Tony rolled his eyes and spun back around to face Loki. "So, Rob! You're hired! I'll send you an employee pamphlet later. Or Pepper will. Whatever. It'll be handled. Welcome to Stark Industries!"

"It's... _Robert_..." Loki said through grit teeth before he sighed and started to massage his temples.

This... was going to be harder than he had first anticipated. He should have figured out a way to remain with Bucky. A single person was easier to manipulate than a group who could get together and point inconsistencies out to each other.

"Yeah, yeah. You know, there's only like… a _handful_ of people that I've met over the years who can keep up with me when it comes to tech," Tony admitted with a rueful grin as he turned to Steve. "And out of that handful, only _one_ of them proved not to be a complete asshole. That might change, but I don't know Rob well enough yet to know if he is or isn't an asshole."

"I am assuming that you are counting yourself as that one person?" Loki asked drily as he dropped his hand.

"Oh no, not at all," Tony said with a bark of laughter. "I am a _major_ asshole, and I know it. What I am not is pretentious. Okay, well, I might be a _little_ pretentious. Okay, maybe a _lot_ pretentious. But at least I'm honest about it!"

"I fear to ask you this," Loki admitted slowly, "but who is not a... how did you put it? 'Complete asshole?'."

"Oh, him? He should be on the way down here right now," Tony grinned just as the door started to open. "Hey! Speak of the big green devil! There's the big guy!"

Loki turned his head to see who had entered the room and froze, his eyes going wide with shock and fear. He could feel the blood draining from his face, the tension that spread and sang in his body.

The man standing in the doorway, by all means, looked very ordinary. He appeared to be an average middle-aged human, with short brown hair, a kindly face with glasses perched upon his nose and was wearing a comfortable looking blue shirt and a pair of black pants. The only notable thing was that his expression was... that of a rather tired person.

"Tony," one Bruce Banner sighed out as if he was dealing with an overly rambunctious child. "Just please tell me that you didn't call me here to see some viral youtube video that you want to show me… again."

He stepped fully into the room and then stopped and blinked at the good Captain. Said Captain had stood up from his seat and had turned to face Bruce.

"Oh, hello there, Steve," he said as he broke into a warm smile. "It's so good to see you. No one told me you were here."

"Good to see you too, Doctor Banner," Steve smiled as he stepped forward, firmly taking Bruce's hand in his own and shaking it. "It's a good thing that you're here! You can meet Rober-."

Steve's voice cut out as he turned to look at Loki. Loki remained silent... as he was shaking like a leaf on a windy day and, had it been feasible, he would have pressed himself _through_ the wall and into the room beyond. His eyes were wide and unmoving as he looked at Bruce.

"Um... Robert?" Steve asked slowly. "You alright there, buddy?"

All three men stood there as the silence stretched on, and Loki remained unresponsive. He just kept staring at the man who had entered the room. The man who could turn into the Hulk. As if remembering this himself, Bruce's eyes widened in concern and self-recrimination.

"OH!" Bruce exclaimed as he started to back towards the door. "Oh, god! I'm so sorry! I… I should probably leave. I didn't mean to scare you!"

"No, no. Don't go anywhere," Tony said firmly, and he walked right over to Bruce, grabbed his shoulder, and pulled him further into the room. "Look, Robert here just need to calm down and see that you aren't a threat, right? Actually, do you get that kind of reaction often, doc?"

"More often than I like to admit, even with the um... _positive_ publicity that I've been getting," Bruce sighed as he allowed himself to be man-handled. "Although that kind of reaction is, in fact, entirely fair. Quite sensible, really, especially when someone has seen the Big Guy in action. It's just... well... to be blunt Tony, you're insane."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Tony replied in a cheerful voice, and he finally let go of Bruce's arm to make his usual, exuberant gestures as he spoke. "I mean really, insanity and genius go hand in hand and-"

It was evident that Bruce had tuned out Tony's little ego-boosting speech in favor of Loki. His eyes were filled with pain, kindness, and understanding.

"Robert, was it?" he asked softly, eyeing Loki carefully. Loki was still shaking like a leaf. He held up his hands in a way that universally meant 'hey, I'm harmless.' "It's alright. Look, I'm not angry at all, see? No green. Everything is under control. Nothing is going to happen."

"Ha, hehe," Loki let out a burst of nervous laughter. He inched himself further away along the wall and froze as his fingertips touched the connecting wall. "It's…. n-nice to meet you, Doctor Ba-Banner."

Loki hissed as he squinted his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again and glaring at the ground. He hated, absolutely _hated_ the fact that he was stuttering as it wasn't even on purpose! Bruce smiled gently, seemingly taking his words as an invitation, as he took a step forward. Loki glanced up, eyes wide, and he lifted a hand.

"PLEASE STAY OVER THERE!" Loki shouted, and Bruce halted immediately and even took a step back.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Bruce flustered, his face red with embarrassment, and he rubbed at the back of his neck. "I... didn't mean to make things worse."

"Wait a second," Tony said, his voice serious for once. "Have you _actually_ seen the Hulk up close?"

"Erh... um," Loki's voice broke off. He had to think of a good explanation and quickly! He sputtered for a moment before rapidly and loudly exclaiming. "Th-the New York attack! I was… on the... g-ground during the attack!"

Bruce's face shifted to a very sympathetic look, and he took another step back.

"That must have been terrifying," he agreed softly.

"Wow, that's all kind of bad luck," Tony commented. "First caught up with Hydra, then stuck in New York when everything went down?"

"We-Well," Loki swallowed roughly. "I told you earlier that I was interested in the old gods. So… I... I wanted to get closer."

It was a plausible explanation, right? His _character_ would do something that foolish…

Right?

"So, you ran straight _into_ the attack to have a look?!" Tony asked incredulously before bursting into laughter. "HAHAHAHA! Man, I like you. That's the same kind of stupid bullshit that _I'd_ pull!"

"Wait, did you say Hydra?!" Bruce asked wide-eyed, turning to look at the Man of Iron. "Tony, what's going on here? Who is this poor man?"

Loki closed his eyes at the Doctor's words and grit his teeth.

 _Do not patronize me, you stupid mortal... just… just shut up,_ he thought to himself. _Better yet, shut up and go to the corner on the other side of the room! I need you far... far away from me, please!_

"This is Rob the Bobbydibob." Tony grinned, putting a firm hand on Loki's shoulder. "He's your new colleague. He's going to work with you on some things!"

" _WHAT?!_ " Loki shouted in panic, turning to Tony with wide eyes.

"Erh Tony..." Bruce started, only to halt and let out a soft sigh. "Look, not that I don't appreciate you trying to help, but… I don't think this is a good idea."

"On the contrary, it's an _excellent_ idea!" Tony stated firmly. "Bruce, meet Robert Johnson. He's apparently one of Earth's leading experts in alien shit. He's studied things that happened to land on Earth, things that humans back in the day mistook for 'godly' artifacts. He is even smart enough to figure out how some of it actually works! Sciency stuff like us! So yeah, given everything he's showed me, he is a potential member for our 'science bro club!'"

Bruce and Loki both looked at Tony at that last, and Tony pointed a finger in Loki's direction, wagging it at him with a mock-serious expression on his face.

" _That_ is not a certainty yet, though. Said club is, of course, _very_ exclusive in nature. Not everyone gets to join. Oh. And Rob, buddy?" he patted Loki on the chest with the back of his hand, flashing a grin at him. "Most of the alien shit that landed on Earth? We figured out that those objects have been releasing _massive_ amounts of Gamma radiation! And here in front of us, your new work partner no less, is Earth's leading Gamma expert! Doctor Bruce Banner!"

Bruce let out another sigh at Tony's exuberant means of introduction. Loki, in turn, had fallen silent in thought, glancing down before looking back up at Banner. Everything Tony had said about the other man was right. Loki knew that already, as he had read up on him. Banner... was actually rather intelligent.

For a Human.

 _Alright, calm down. Relax,_ Loki thought to himself. _Banner, nor the others, know who you really are. And the green beast, this 'Hulk,' seems able to tell friend from foe. So... if I become Banner's friend then... I can become 'Hulk's' friend?_

Loki blinked at the thought and glanced downwards. Could he make the Hulk do his bidding by pretending to be the beasts ally? If Banner trusted him then...

 _Don't smirk…_ Loki thought to himself, feeling more than a little triumphant. _Whatever you do, don't let them see a smirk! Don't let them know what you're thinking!_

Once he could control his expression, he slowly looked up and met Banner's eyes. Banner looked very sad, apologetic in fact, and also seemed a little scared himself. For a man who contained such great strength within himself, he... looked rather pathetic actually. Loki took a deep breath and dared to take a step away from the wall, a bit further into the room and closer to the other man.

"Doctor Banner, I… apologize for my outburst," he started slowly. "I was just… a little surprised is all."

"That's okay," Banner responded with a smile. "Please, I understand if you… need time to sort through some things. Take whatever time you need."

"So..." Steve started haltingly. "We're… _good_ , right?"

Tony nodded firmly, grinning widely.

"Yup, Cap," he said to the other man, "That means we're good."

Loki let out a deep sigh. He couldn't help rest a hand against his forehead. This whole thing had turned into one giant mess, and while this particular interaction ended well, something told him things weren't going to get 'better' anytime soon.


	19. Green beast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Loki was, in a word, _exhausted_.

He hadn't even taken the time needed to appreciate the room Tony that had given him to stay in as a 'live-in employee.'

Regardless, it was his room now. He had successfully infiltrated the Avengers tower. It was only that, unlike most other Humans that Loki had the 'pleasure' to meet, the Avengers themselves were proving to be decidedly tiring to be around!

He had to always be on his metaphorical toes, mindful not to say the wrong thing that would clue them in on who he was. Especially so with Tony. The man of iron's mind seemed to be working double-time, _all_ the time. The Captain was, of course, the very definition of innocence. Always believing the best in the people around him. _Constantly_ encouraging the group to get along as a whole. He reminded Loki the most of Thor, and it was sickening.

And then there was Bruce _Bloody_ Banner to add into the entire mix.

Loki let out a groan as he fell down onto his new bed, landing face-first onto one of the plush pillows. He wasn't entirely sure what was the cause of it, but whenever he saw said scientist, images started to flash uncontrollably through Loki's head.

A big green ogre grabbing him by the leg and slamming him into the floor. Over and over again, at full strength no less! Loki had been naught but an insect before the Hulk. Now? If he was found out, well... he had none of his prior power available to him. The same treatment from such a beast would result in his immediate death! Loki shivered, the tremble passing through his entire body.

 ** _No._** _Don't think about it, Loki. Don't… Just… Just keep it out of your mind!_ he thought to himself desperately.

But the more Loki tried _not_ to think about those events, the more they started to flash before his eyes. He grit his teeth, and tried to meditate, tried to force the thoughts away. After what seemed like forever, as Loki had no idea how long he had been lying there, only that it had started to get dark outside, his body finally started to relax. His mind slowly grew foggy from exhaustion.

 _Finally_ … he thought to himself with more than a little bit of relief. _At least this stupid near-mortal body is good for_ ** _something_** _! Grant me peace!_

Loki was ready to slip away into a, hopefully, blissful sleep. He didn't even bother to get up so he could change clothes. Of course, thanks to his _fantastic_ luck so far, that was the exact moment the door started to buzz. He had a guest. How wonderful.

Loki groaned in annoyance. What in the _Hel_ could anyone want from him right _now_ of all times? The door buzzed again, cheerful yet insistent, and Loki growled as he dragged himself up from the bed. He grabbed his fake glasses and put them on as he managed to drag himself to the door.

"I'm coming," he muttered, hitting the button that would open the automatic door.

Only for him to stand face to face with Bruce Banner. In less than a second, all the flashing images from earlier re-entered Loki's head, and he stepped backward.

"Erhm. I… I hope I am not disturbing you," he said sincerely, wincing as Loki's flinched back. "Look, I just… I wanted you to know it's okay. And I thought that maybe, if we could talk for a bit, just you and I, you'll see that too."

Loki remained quiet as he stood there, blinking at the other man.

"I brought beer," Bruce said, flashing him an awkward smile as he hefted up a six-pack of beers.

Loki glanced at the items in his hand. Even _he_ could recognize a peace offering when he saw it. Peace offerings of drinks and tasty foods were also a time-honored tradition in Asgard. To deny any such offerings when they were offered was considered a grave insult to the gift-bringer. It was, in fact, extremely rare an Asgardian would deliberately refuse offerings. Usually, it was only done to humiliate and insult either their enemies or people they considered less than worthy. A way of saying 'You are not even worthy enough for me to take your offerings,' which was one of the worst insults imaginable to the Asgardians.

Right now, though? The _last_ thing Loki wanted was to insult Banner in such a way. Even if the other man might be unaware of the insult. On a purely instinctual level, Loki knew better than to humiliate or insult one such as he! As such, he stepped back, gesturing at the room.

"Please, step inside," he offered with a faint smile.

A look of pure relief washed over Bruce's face as he stepped inside. He then walked over to the couch, something that Loki hadn't yet noticed given his state of mind, and set the cans of beer down on the table.

"Have you eaten anything yet?" he asked Loki conversationally. "You know you can just ask Jarvis for whatever you might want, right? Any food you order will be brought to the tower and brought to your room. Jarvis seems to be connected to all takeaway places in town, and Tony doesn't mind. In fact, he encourages it."

At the other man's question, Loki felt his stomach protesting, and he realized that, no, he hadn't had anything to eat recently.

"I have not," he admitted. "There has been... a lot on my mind."

"Oh, well… we should probably order something then. It's not good to drink on an empty stomach," Bruce offered kindly. "What would you like to eat?"

Loki shrugged at that and shook his head.

"I have no preference," he said. "Whatever you want."

Bruce blinked at the other man and frowned slightly.

"Well… Right, erhm," Bruce paused, and Loki almost flinched. Honestly, this was getting to be quite awkward. "How about... do you like steak? There's this place that makes a delicious steak dinner and even delivers."

"That suits me just fine," Loki replied after a moment.

"Ah, okay. good," Bruce nodded and smiled. "Um. Would you like potatoes, french fries, or salad for a side?"

Again Loki shrugged.

"Again, I have no real preference," he said.

"Ah, okay… erhm," Bruce glanced up at the ceiling. "Jarvis?"

"Indeed, sir. Two servings of steak from Josephine's steak house, one with potatoes and one chef's choice," an electronic voice replied.

Loki looked up and tilted his head but didn't comment upon hearing the strange voice.

"Oh, you haven't met Jarvis yet, have you?" Bruce asked with a knowing smile. "He's Tony's artificial intelligence, he runs the tower."

"Artificial intelligence," Loki repeated in a distant voice. "A computer program designed to emulate human behavior. If done right, they can even carry whole conversations with you and, like humans, can learn through communication and observation. However, if they actually have a conscience of their own is dubious."

"That's what an artificial intelligence is," Bruce smirked, looking more than a little amused.

Loki was not sure if this was common knowledge or not among humans. He'd only read up about it when he was trying to acclimate to human technology. From what he had read, successful creations of artificial intelligence were still very rare. The whole process seemed to be in its' infancy. But he was glad his observation didn't seem to raise any red flags with Bruce. The other man simply sat down on the couch, grabbing a beer for himself and opening it up.

Loki slowly moved over to the table, then picked up a beer for himself, and opened it as well. Bruce glanced away.

"Look, I… I can't even imagine what it must feel like," he started in a soft voice. "Seeing the HULK up close like that? What you went through in the big incident... it must have been terrifying."

"Yes, it was rather terrifying," Loki replied, not even lying. He took a sip of the beer, the slightly bitter liquid lingering on his tongue. He blinked and realized… it was delicious.

"I'm sorry for what you went through," Bruce said as he hung his head.

Loki looked at the man, sitting there with head hanging low. The man looked absolutely pathetic. It really was hard to believe that this man was hiding such an awesome power inside of himself.

Loki sighed and rolled his eyes.

"What is an apology going to do to help?" he asked bluntly.

Bruce's eyes widened, and his face turned red. Not with anger, thankfully, but with embarrassment.

"You were in the battle because your home was under attack. You wanted to defend said home and the people therein. _Own_ your actions. Don't apologize for them," Loki instructed in a firm tone.

Bruce blinked in surprise. Clearly, that wasn't what he had expected to hear from the other man. He looked up at Loki and frowned thoughtfully.

"You decided to do battle, didn't you?" Loki asked with a shrug. "In doing so, you had to walk into the fight with all you had. That's the nature of battle, of war. Don't look back, don't apologize. _Own it_."

Saying that the man looked stunned was definitely putting it mildly as Bruce met Loki's gaze.

"Well, that's… a different way of looking at it," he admitted slowly.

"What good is a warrior who always second-guesses himself?" Loki asked, taking a sip of his beer.

"Heh, you really do study old cultures, don't you?" Bruce asked, amused.

"What do you mean?" Loki asked with a frown.

"You... you're talking like one of those characters from older books. The ones with warrior societies and the like," Bruce responded with a chuckle.

Loki closed his eyes, forcing himself not to let his frown deepen. He had worked on his speech patterns blast it! He knew that the way he usually spoke was considered strange on Midgard. He'd thought he had gotten their own mannerisms down correctly.

Apparently not.

"I must admit that I am fascinated by their way of life," he said after a few moments.

"Don't worry about sounding weird. All geniuses are a bit strange, myself included," Bruce smiled, once more looking amused. "And of course, _Tony_ is living here. There's just no competition when it comes to eccentricities when you're around him."

Loki remained quiet. It felt like a natural time to sit down on the other side of the couch. His stomach was still a roiling mess, but he remembered his plan. If he made friends with Banner, he could become friends with HULK. It would be _really_ beneficial to get the other man on his side.

And so, with that in mind, Loki finally sat down. A smile appeared on Bruce's face.

"Look, it's going to be okay, Robert," he assured him, again his tone soft and understanding. "It's not easy, I'd never say that it is. Not when everything just seems to change from one day to the next. Believe me, I know! One day I'm just a regular boring Bruce Banner then BOOM! Nothing was the same anymore… and... well, it won't ever be the same again."

Loki glanced down, a memory flashing through his mind. One day, _he_ was just the 'same old Prince Loki,' and then a touch was all it took. A single touch on his arm, revealing his natural blue skin hidden underneath the illusion he'd worn all his life. And just like that, as Bruce said, 'BOOM.' Nothing was the same… and there was no way back.

"Tony told me once, though, that we can figure it out. We can make something out of those changes in our lives," Bruce encouraged with a small smile.

Loki smirked, feeling more than a bit morbidly amused.

"That's a…. nice sentiment," he finally said.

"You don't sound very convinced," Bruce commented as he took another sip of his drink.

Loki glanced down. Honestly, he had to be very careful not to slip up. What was he to say? He really didn't have any hope for humanity as a whole. Sure, here inside of this building, there were a bunch of bleeding hearts trying to save this miserable planet. But... did they even bother to look outside, even for a second, to see the truth?

This planet was rotten… just like the rest of the universe.

Everything was so god-damned rotten. Rotten to its very core.


	20. Join the family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

Only a single day had passed since Tony had taken Robert under his wing on Steve's request, and yet here they stood again as Steve petitioned Tony to take others in. Steve and Natasha stood with bowed heads, looking contrite. Clint was there too, but he didn't have the same expression. More that he looked bored or... perhaps annoyed?

"So... let me get this straight. You two want to bunk at my place now too?" Tony asked with a frown before he threw up his hands in exasperation. "Anyone else want to join in then?! Are we all just going to live together now? Is that it?"

"Tony, look…." Steve swallowed roughly and shook his head. "S.H.I.E.L.D. was originally housing us, but after what happened with HYDRA and all of that I… I can't work for S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore. It just isn't right to do so when they're so compromised. How could I trust that the orders I received were actually from SHIELD itself and not an order Hydra? Because of that, I... don't have anywhere to go right now."

"I..." Natasha fell quiet and let out a soft sigh. "I don't know what to do either. S.H.I.E.L.D. was all that I had."

Tony turned to look at Natasha and then let out a gusty sigh of his own as he turned to look at Clint.

"You want to join the party, too?" he asked in a dry tone.

"No," Clint huffed and shook his head. "In fact, I've been the one housing these two for the last couple of days. And I told them before, they could stay for as long as they needed."

He turned to look at the pair with a disappointed frown.

"I'll repeat it again," he said firmly. "The two of you can still stay at my place if you need to."

"Clint," Natasha looked at him with an expression of fond exasperation. "I can't keep imposing on you."

"Nonsense Nat, you are part of the family. _You_ know _that,_ " Clint said firmly. He waved a hand towards Steve. "He can stay too."

Steve shook his head, his voice equally as firm and unyielding.

"No, Clint," he started, "our presence is compromising your home and family, it's not right for us to stay any longer."

"Wait, what?!" Tony blinked at Steve in confusion before turning to look at Clint. His tone sounded befuddled and amazed as he spoke. " _You_ have got a family? _Legolas_ has a _family_?!"

"Why do you look so surprised?" Clint asked drolly as he crossed his arms.

"I just... you have a family. I mean a wife obviously, but… you also have _kids_ and stuff?" Tony asked. He was acting like his world had been flipped upsidedown.

"Again, you're making it sound like it's weird for me to have a family," Clint commented with a small snort.

"Seriously?" Tony tried again, still looking befuddled.

Clint rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"My family life is _strictly_ separated from my role as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent," he told the group. "Well… it _was._ I don't work for S.H.I.E.L.D. at this point either. I mean, how can I? They had that corruption within their ranks for who knows how long. I... can't trust them anymore."

"So you've gone, what? Freelance?" Tony asked.

Clint rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Took an early pension," he informed them. "Fury approved it."

"Sooooo," Tony dragged the word out as he tapped on his chin. "Does your wife know that you killed people for a living?"

" _TONY_!" Natasha exclaimed in a scandaled tone.

Clint sighed and waved a hand at her.

"It's fine, Nat," he said to her before he turned his gaze on Tony. A steely gaze. "And yes, of course she does. However, the kids don't. If you ever get to meet them, then you had _better_ keep your mouth shut about that, Tony. I mean it."

"Alright, alright, that's fine. I was just asking!" Tony rolled his eyes and threw his hands up again. Then he sighed and shook his head as he looked at Steve and Natasha. "Listen, I get it, S.H.I.E.L.D. used to be the ones fighting off the bad guys, and now you can't trust them anymore. Now you're homeless, and you still want to find and fight the bad guys. That means you need a place to relax and or plan. I've been thinking about that a lot myself. There is a bunch of shit _out there_ that can threaten the Earth. Things that are a lot more dangerous than our own home-brew baddies. Look at us, though. That big fight? We managed to pull together as a unique fighting force. Us! A team of specialists that kicked ass as 'The Avengers!' There is some real potential here. I'm not about to deny that."

The others shared a bemused, yet hopeful look before turning back to Tony.

"Sooo... instead of working for Fury, work for me!" he threw his hands outward and grinned widely. "Let me hire you all as employees. That way, you can stay here without feeling guilty about freeloading or whatever. And don't deny that you'd get that way Cap. I know you!"

Steve blushed and rubbed at the back of his neck as Tony wagged a finger at him.

"Anyway," Tony finished with a grin. "Work for me as a 'special team unit,' and you have yourselves a deal. What do you say?"

Natasha smiled a bit and then chuckled in amusement.

"You always make things sound so simple," she admitted with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, well, why over-complicate stuff?" Tony countered. "I got one demand, however. Legolas over there? He needs to be part of it. He doesn't have to stay here all the time, obviously, but I want you hired on too."

Clint raised an eyebrow at the other man and tilted his head.

"It's a good offer," Tony said, the smallest hint of a whine to his voice. "You get a bit extra cash out of it, right? You can go buy the wifey a cute necklace or whatever she might like. The kids too! What do kids like these days again? That 'Call of Duty' series, right?"

"My family is _strictly_ separated from any work that I may do. Still, I'm listening," Clint said firmly as he leaned back against the wall. "To be honest though, I'm a bit unsure as to why you would want me on your little 'team.'"

"You're good at what you do, Legs. Seen it for myself," Tony answered with a small shrug. He jabbed a thumb Natasha's direction a second later. "Plus, I'm pretty sure Red over there would want you on the team."

Natasha actually blushed, and she glanced downwards.

"Thank you for offering Tony. You're right, I would appreciate being on the same team as my old partner," Natasha admitted as she pushed a loose strand of said red hair back behind her ear. "I promise, though, this doesn't have to be permanent. Just until we manage to figure things out and get ourselves back on our feet."

Tony shrugged and waved a hand dismissively.

"Meh. Take your time," he said nonchalantly. "You all can help me keep an eye on Rob as well."

Natasha looked up, her blush fading. Her expression was both serious and curious.

"You're talking about Robert Johnson, yes?" she asked.

Tony nodded with a grin.

"Yup," he responded. "I take it Steve already told you about him?"

"I did," Steve answered with a nod.

"Tony..." Natasha let out a soft sigh, face concerned. "I don't think you should trust that man."

"Duh!" Tony said with a laugh, making all three of them blink at him in confusion. "Whaaat? Do you lot _really_ think I'm that stupid?"

"Um..." Clint responded succinctly for the three.

"Wow, yeah. NO!" Tony shook his head in amusement and started ticking off notes on his fingers. "Dude shows up out of nowhere. Not only that, but he oh _so_ conveniently knows just what we need to know when we need to know it? Sure. Pull the other one. Not only that but that background story he gave us? _Waaaay_ too convenient. Like it was fabricated to suit his needs right out of the gate. His identity? _Fake_! I figured that out within ten minutes of looking into the guy's background. I don't know what his real name is, but it sure as hell isn't 'Robert Johnson' or anything similar."

"Ah," Natasha said with another blink, surprised that Tony had been wise enough to look into the newcomer's background so swiftly.

"Still," Tony started with a small sigh. "Robby-boy knows his stuff. And we need that. That he's been willing to openly share what he knows and help is one of the reasons I'm willing to let him stay. For now. It helps that the entire building is fitted with surveillance cameras and the like. If he does something suspicious here, then we'll be the first to know. Especially since all the computers are connected to the same main-frame. Anything he does on a computer will be recorded and sent to us."

"I..." Steve blinked and then nodded his head. "That's very clever of you, Tony. I like the guy, but you're right. We need to be careful."

"Rule number one; Never trust smart people," Tony said in a flat, no-nonsense tone.

Steve blinked and let out a small huff of laughter.

"Isn't that counter-intuitive?" he asked. "You call yourself the smartest man on Earth, after all."

"Exactly!" Tony pointed at Steve with a wide grin. "And as such, you know that you shouldn't trust _me_ all the time either."

After that wonderfully insightful little statement, Tony let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the counter-top.

"Don't get me wrong," he said in a subdued tone. "There's the possibility that Rob is what he says he is, an innocent caught up in a lot of shit that has forced him to hide his true identity to avoid Hydra clutches. If his family was really in danger, then he probably faked his death as one of the many lost in the battle with Thor's brother. If that's what happened, then our precautions will be just that. Simple, harmless precautions. I'll be doing what I promised and keeping him safe. Still, I am going to keep an eye on him. What he knows is very valuable to the right people. Priceless even.

Steve and the others nodded, though the good Captain suddenly smirked at Tony. The Man of Iron looked back with a raised brow.

"What? Something on my face?" he asked.

"No, you just keep surprising me," Steve admitted with a chuckle. "I mean, I knew you were smart-"

"'Smartest man on Earth,' Steve! Get it right!" Tony proclaimed with an exaggerated finger point toward the ceiling. Natasha snorted in amusement, and said finger was suddenly pointed at her. "Hey! None of that now. You're going to be helping me keep an eye on the new guy, sweetheart."

Natasha shrugged at that and nodded her head.

"That's fair. You are giving me a place to stay after all," she pushed away from the wall and started for the door, pausing to lean closer to Tony as she passed him. "Fair warning; Don't call me sweetheart."

"She's crushed the balls of terrorists for less," Clint pipped in with a dark grin. "Those who lived are never going to have kids."

"Right! Okay! Noted!" Tony replied, voice just a little high with startled concern for his own bits. Steve chuckled as Natasha left the room with a satisfied smirk on her lips.


	21. Ms Potts

"And _this_ ," Bruce said with a grin. "Is the lab."

Loki peered inside briefly before following Bruce inside the rather large room. The many surfaces and walls were covered in all sorts of electronics, screens, mechanical arms, and other various objects. Loki looked around with a surprised blink.

"I know it's a bit overwhelming. Even when I worked with the gamma field reactor, it wasn't anything like _this_ ," Bruce said when he noticed Loki's expression. He chuckled and then cleared his throat. "That was probably a mistake in all honesty. Anyway, most of this was developed by Tony himself. He really is a technical genius."

This probably was a good time to learn more about Midgardian technology. To be honest, Loki had no idea what any of the different objects were used for. Oh, he knew that some of them had to be multiple types of scanners. Then there were, of course, the various computer and laptop screens that he'd already acclimated to. Everything else, however? Loki mentally shook his head. He could figure out what this equipment was used for. This was the most advanced technology that Earth had to offer, and it was right at his finger-tips no less! That had been almost too easy.

Fools.

Loki turned his head to the side to hide his expression from Banner and smirked, congratulating himself on a job well done. His enemies had freely handed him anything that he could possibly need. He almost, _almost_ , felt bad about the very real likelihood that he would be betraying them in the future.

Still, that wasn't a certainty at this point. Who knew what the future would bring.

Once his expression was back under control, he looked up and glanced around the room once more. At the end of the room, there was a giant window looking out over New York proper. Loki walked over to the window and looked out at the grand city-scape before him. To think, roughly a year ago, he had been standing atop this very tower calling upon the Chitauri to wreak havoc upon the populace below.

His eyes scanned over the visible buildings. He could see the specks of humans that were milling around, going about their daily lives. One year was nothing in the grand scheme of the cosmos. A fleeting second. The flicker of a candle. Loki had to hand it to them, though. Looking down at the area, one would find it nigh on impossible to guess that a massive battle with interstellar creatures had taken place.

The people had mourned, rebuilt, and, in most cases, moved on with their lives. It was like the battle had been erased and forgotten from their minds.

"It's an amazing view, isn't it?" Bruce commented as he stepped beside Loki. "Kind of scary, huh?"

Loki frowned in thought. What was scary about such a view? It was like watching ants crawling around. Mindless drones that did not even realize the depths of what was going on around them. There was nothing scary about that. Unless Banner was referring to how high up they were? If so, then there was doubly no reason to fear. In fact, the view was... calming, if anything.

"Anyway," Bruce said as he turned away from the view, waving his hand at the neater portion of the room, "this part of the lab is free for us to use."

He then pointed to the other half of the room, which was a mess. Scraps, wires, half-finished projects, food-wrappers, and unopened chocolate bars lay in a seemingly haphazard mess. It took a moment for Loki to see any kind of order to the chaos, but it was there. If only in the sense that none of the food or trash was strewn over said various projects.

"As you can see, that portion is... _not_ ," Bruce said with a weak chuckle. "That's Tony's work section. He doesn't like anyone touching his projects. Try to ignore the mess."

Loki frowned as he looked the area over and then turned to look at Bruce with a raised brow.

"Very well," he said slowly, "but why are we here, Doctor Banner?"

"Well, for now, we need to work on tracing and measuring the various Gamma energies that can be found across the globe," Bruce said in a determined tone. He walked over to one of the larger computer screens and pulled up a hologram next to it. An image of the globe itself popped up in view. "I am currently conducting several scans of different continents to see if there are any concentrated sources of Gamma radiation. The fun starts when I find a concentrated source."

"Oh? Loki asked curiously.

"Yup," Bruce flashed a small smile at him before turning back to the image. "If and when we find something, then the first question we need to as is this; is the source of the radiation man-made, or is it actually something given off by an alien object? Things like the Tesseract, the Mind Staff, and even Malekith's stone."

Loki nodded as if he was just finding out about said various objects, and the other man continued.

"Mind, those three objects are the only items we've confirmed to give off Gamma radiation thus far," he said. "We want to figure out if there are any others like them on Earth at this time."

"What will you do if you're able to find any?" Loki asked with a tilt of his head.

"Well, I guess we'll retrieve it for further study," Bruce commented idly, his eyes not leaving the screen that he was focused so intently on.

Lok grinned to himself. That was perfect. Absolutely perfect! This was precisely what he had been hoping for when he'd staged things to 'join' the Avengers in their little tower.

Before he could say or do anything else, the door opened abruptly. Loki turned to look and saw a woman step into the room. She had long, strawberry-blonde hair, a thin build, and was wearing a smart-looking business suit that flowed nicely over her slender body. Bruce turned when the door opened as well and blinked at the woman.

"Oh, hey there. Good morning, Pepper!" he said in greeting. "I'm afraid that if you're looking for Tony, he isn't here at the moment."

Pepper shook her head at that and smiled back.

"No, that's not why I'm here. I heard our Gamma Team just got a new member," she turned her head to look at Loki and smiled in greeting. "Hi there. You're Robert Johnson, yes?"

"Yes, I am," Loki responded with a nod.

"Ah, good," she held out her hand to him. "I'm Patricia Potts, the current CEO of Stark Industries. Most just call me Pepper."

"Ah, a pleasure to meet you, Pepper," Loki said as he accepted her hand and shook it in greeting.

"I'm also the person in charge of making sure that Tony doesn't accidentally destroy the entire planet with his inventions," she said with a dry smile.

"Well then," Loki responded with a smirk and a shake of his head, "in that case, you have both my condolences and my sincerest sympathies."

That made Pepper snort softly in amusement before laughing outright.

"Wow," she said as she reigned in her chuckles, "I have to say that has to be the most appropriate response I've ever gotten!"

Even Bruce smiled at that, looking between the two as if happy everyone was getting along. He turned to look at Pepper.

"At any rate, it's still good to see you, Pepper," he said jovially. "It's been a while. How are you holding up?"

"I'm... doing well," she said, but there was a level of hesitation to her tone and words. It was obvious to Loki that she was lying. So obvious in fact that Bruce caught it as well.

"What's wrong, Pep?" Bruce asked, his tone concerned.

Pepper sighed softly and closed her eyes, frustration clearly showing on her face.

"Look, I..." she let out another sigh. "Tony and I had talked about our relationship, and I'd told him that I wanted him to cut back on this 'Iron Man' business of his. Not entirely. I know better than to ask for that considering how stubborn he can be, but... want him to be safe. You know?"

"I get that," Bruce said with a sympathetic nod. Pepper smiled weakly and then glared around the room.

"And now?" she continued. "Now I find out that Tony's looking to do _more_ instead of less! I... I don't think I can handle it. That's... it's not what we agreed on."

Bruce's expression turned sorrowful, and he looked around the room himself. He turned back to her and sighed softly.

"I am so sorry Pepper," he started, voice contrite, "I didn't mean to-"

"It's not _your_ fault Bruce," Pepper interrupted assuringly, a sad smile on her lips. "It's actually good that you're here. Having another level-headed person around that Tony listens to is a good thing. It's just... I love him, I really do, but taking care of him is such hard work. I'm not sure I can do it anymore when he doesn't even do the _one_ thing we agreed on as a couple. To just tone it down a little with being a hero."

Loki tried not to groan out loud as the two talked. Human drama. Or, more accurately, _relationship_ drama. It always left a bad taste in his mouth and made him want to hurl. He took a step back, distancing himself physically from the conversation without drawing attention to himself.

"It's going to be all right, Pepper," Bruce assured the woman with a gentle smile. "Tony is simply worried about your safety. Well, he's worried about Earth's safety too, but mostly he wants to make sure people dear to him are safe. With time, when we figure out what these Gamma sources are and if they're actually dangerous or not, he should calm down and stop worrying so much. You'll both be fine."

"You really think so?" Pepper asked in a soft voice.

"I'm positive," Bruce smiled more openly, but Loki could see the slightest twitching of the other man's lip. Not only that, his left eye had the tiniest of spasms. Bruce Banner was lying! He didn't believe a word he was saying. Pepper didn't notice, however, either she chose not to, or she just couldn't see what Loki could.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," she said with a nod, though her hands were held together, fingers twisting round and round nervously.

She didn't believe it either.

Loki was stuck watching two people lying both to themselves and each other. This was supposed to be heart-warming? Ugh. It was an effort to keep his face blankly polite and not let it twist to an expression of disgust. Pepper turned to look at him, and he raised a brow.

"Anyway, I've taken up too much of your time," she said with a polite smile. "It was very nice to meet you, Robert. The more level-headed people around to keep an eye on Tony, the better. Just be aware that he can be... a bit reckless at times."

"As you say," Loki said drily, causing Pepper to smile in amusement.

"Right, I hope we'll have a chance to talk again later," Pepper said as she turned back toward the door. "I'm in the building most of the day, and my office is located on the top floor. If you need anything, feel free to swing by."

"I appreciate the offer. Thank you, Pepper," Loki said, and he bowed slightly in her direction.

Pepper smiled, a genuine smile this time, clearly charmed by his genial attitude. Which was the point. What would have really sold the act back on Asgard would be to have called her 'Lady' Pepper or 'Lady' Potts. Sadly, said verbiage wasn't used all that often anymore on Earth. Midgardians had regressed horribly when it came to manners. Once she was gone, Loki turned to look at Bruce, whose gaze had softened somewhat as he watched the woman leave. He turned to Loki and grinned conspiratorially at Loki.

"Between you and me," he started, humor filling his voice, "she's the real boss. Not Tony."

"Oh?" Loki asked with a surprised blink.

"Tony is a brilliant inventor, there's no doubt about that," Bruce said with a firm nod. "When it comes to science and technology, it really is likely that he has the greatest mind on the planet. But everything else? He can be a bit lacking. Business deals, general Human interaction, time tables, personal diet, hell, even hygiene, all of that is handled by her."

"So, what you're saying is that she's Tony's Mother," Loki said, completely dead-pan.

The comment was so unexpected that Bruce choked on his laughter uncontrollably for a moment before shaking his head, tears of mirth trailing down his cheeks. He took off his glasses and cleaned them using his shirt.

"Oh, god, that's... that's not funny," he slipped his glasses back into place and couldn't help but let out another small snort of laughter before finally admitting the truth. "Okay, well, yeah, you could call it that. It's a bit too accurate to be wrong. Though, I do believe that Tony would prefer it if we refer to her as his girlfriend."

"Ah, I see," Loki nodded thoughtfully and glanced toward the door. "She's a lot less... vapid... than I would have expected Tony's girlfriend to be."

Bruce let out another snort of amusement.

"I think Tony has had enough of the 'vapid girlfriend' relationships," he said gently. "He seems to finally be at a point in his life where he is searching for something more meaningful than that."

Loki nodded slowly, lost in thought. Despite the situation and the display of drama, he had learned some surprisingly valuable information over the past few minutes.

"Well then," Bruce said, clapping his hands together and grinning. "Shall we go ahead and get to work?"

Loki nodded his head a little more eagerly this time, returning the other man's grin.

"Yes, please show me what we will be doing," he said in response.

Bruce's smile widened, and he led Loki over toward his pet projects.


	22. Drinks and peanuts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

"So… what do you think?" Tony asked Bruce in a serious, no-nonsense tone for once.

"Well, I can say that the one thing I'm sure of is this; He really _is_ a genius," Bruce replied carefully.

The two men had met up later that afternoon in Tony's private lounge. Tony had already poured a glass for himself and Bruce both. By now, Tony's drink was already half-gone while, in comparison, Bruce's was barely touched.

"Yeah, I agree with you there, Big Guy," Tony said as he casually brought up a hologram. "All of these calculations done in less than a day. I have to admit, even I can't work that fast."

There was a small hint of resentment in the Man of Iron's tone. It seemed like he wasn't all that thrilled to find out that he might no longer be the smartest in the building when it came to tech. He let out a grunt and dismissed the hologram with a careless flick of his fingers before taking another sip of his drink.

"He seems to be enjoying the work he's doing too," Bruce offered up, flashing the other man a small, reassuring smile. "When he got focused, I had to yell at him to get his attention. Otherwise, he would ignore everything else around him. Which is typical behavior for the more passionate scientists I've met over the years. Including you and I."

Tony nodded, looking down at his glass as if it would somehow answer his questions. He huffed in amusement and took another sip of his drink.

"Well, with that, he sounds like the real deal," he said with a hum. "A legit new science partner to hang out with. Whelp, not goin' to complain about that. He'll make a good employee, at least."

Bruce nodded.

"That he is. He'll do a lot of good here, and he seems nice," he smiled gently. "A bit strange, but then what kind of scientist isn't?"

"True," Tony tilted his head thoughtfully. "In what way do you consider him to be 'strange,' Big Guy?"

"Well, he's clearly foreigner, so he wasn't lying about that," Bruce said with a tilt of his head. "I mean, it's not just his accent that gives that away, but the way he acts. His mannerisms are not very 'American' if you will. It's the small things. Honestly, I'm starting to think he's been very isolated throughout his life. There are several things he doesn't know about. Again, it's just little things. If I'm right and he grew up burying himself in any work that interested him and nothing else, then it makes sense."

Tony nodded in agreement. He'd noticed the same things for the most part. Bruce chuckled softly and leaned back in his seat as he continued.

"You know, I've lived in several foreign countries while I was..." he paused with a small flinch before finishing, " _hiding_. When you're in an unfamiliar area, you tend to stand out. All because you're unfamiliar with the smaller customs and social norms of the area."

"England's not that different from America though," Tony pointed out, running his hands through his hair. "I mean, there are some small things but still. Anyway, we can use his work to our advantage, at least."

"Honestly? I like him," Bruce said with a smile. "He was clearly afraid of me, and for a good reason too. But he did his best to push past that fear and learn about me. He asked me about my life as a scientist and all."

"Did he say anything else about himself?" Tony pressed, and Bruce let out a hum of thought.

"Well, it didn't seem like he wanted to talk about himself too much," Bruce admitted after a moment. "He mostly just ask me questions about myself."

Tony nodded at that, frowning a bit. The silence stretched on long enough for Bruce to feel a bit concerned.

"Tony?" he pressed. "How do _you_ feel about him?"

Tony was quiet for another moment before he finally shrugged a shoulder in a careless gesture.

"I neither like him nor dislike him," he said. "Trust nor distrust. It's the same for Natasha, Clint, and even Steve. Oh, right. By the way, Natasha and Steve will be staying here in the tower for now."

"Really?" Bruce asked with a blink. "What are they doing here?"

"You heard about the S.H.I.E.L.D. fiasco, right?" Tony asked with a huff of amusement.

Bruce nodded his head. He had, and it hadn't sounded too good.

"Well, _I,_ of course, already knew that SHIELD was corrupt," he said smugly, grabbing a bag of peanuts and opening it. "Sadly, the sheer level of corruption came as a big surprise for our Spangled Soldier and two assassins. So, now they don't know what to do with themselves. Like lost puppies. Anyway, I took them in, 'cause I'm generous like that. So don't be shocked to see 'em hanging around the place, 'k?"

"Oh. I see," Bruce started to nod and then stopped with a small frown. "That's... I'm not sure..."

"Don't worry, Big Guy. Just think about it. They'll be on hand in case aliens attack the Earth again. So this is a good thing," Tony said, popping some peanuts in his mouth before holding the bag out to Bruce.

"But... didn't you say earlier that you don't trust them just yet?" Bruce asked, taking a handful of the snack for himself before handing the bag back.

"I'm a _scientist_ , man. I won't trust anything before I've run a few tests," Tony said, taking the bag and tossing it on the table. "It would be great, though, if the Avengers could genuinely become their own thing. Then..."

Tony fell silent, his eyes losing focus, and he turned his head to stare out the closest window toward the sky.

"Hey, Tony?" Bruce asked, concern in his voice. "You okay?"

Tony swallowed audibly and turned back to look at Bruce, his skin pale.

"You didn't see it... those _things_ on the other side of the wormhole," he started in a soft tone, shivering and grabbing his forehead. His entire body was shaking, and his voice rose in pitch. "Earth. Earth is so _small_! Defenseless! _Anything_ could happen to it, and we... what if they had come through? What if it hadn't worked? And what are we going to do the next time something like this happens?! Those were _monsters_ out there waiting to cross over. They _were_!"

"Tony? Tony!" Bruce moved swiftly in front of the other man, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing gently. Tony started, looking up with wide eyes. "Easy buddy, relax. It's okay. We'll figure it out, alright?"

Tony swallowed roughly and looked up at the ceiling.

"It was... it was so cold. So _vast_. And there were monsters in the dark, lurking. Waiting. In all directions, Bruce. It was all I could see. They were _watching_ us... like we were _nothing_ to them but another conquest."

Bruce placed his free hand on Tony's other shoulder, holding it firmly and giving the man a stern look.

"I need you to breathe, Tony. Slowly, in and out, and then _listen_ to me," he instructed firmly. Tony took a slow breath as he was told, and Bruce waited for a moment before continuing. "You are doing _everything_ you can. You're working on new tech. You're building a specialized team. Working yourself ragged. I get it, I do. But remember, those things that you saw? Right now, they are far, _far_ away from us. You don't have to be scared right now. We have _time_."

"'Right now,'" Tony repeated with a weak smile. "Heh... those are the keywords, aren't they? But... what about in the future?"

"Then we will figure it out in the future," Bruce assured the other man. "We have friends now, out there in the dark of space. You know that Thor will warn us if anything starts to head our way."

Tony closed his eyes and took a few more calming breaths. He nodded his head a few minutes later. Bruce let out a soft sigh of relief before patting his friend on the shoulder.

"Hey," he smiled when the other man opened his eyes and looked back up at him. "We beat a _god_. You got this."

Tony smiled faintly and then let out a faint chuckle.

"We did," he gave one of Bruce's hands a pat. "It helped that we had the HULK on the team too."

Bruce flushed faintly at that, turning his head to the side. He let go of Tony's shoulders and stepped away, rubbing at the back of his neck. He stayed quiet a moment before picking up his drink.

"Well," he started, "I'm just glad I could help."

Tony smirked and let out a small laugh.

"Doc, you're the best of both worlds, you know that?" he said. "Brilliant mind _and_ the strength to smash a god."

"Leave it to you to make me feel good about myself:" Bruce chuckled in amusement. He turned to look out the window, a faint smile on his lips.

"You good, Bruce?" Tony asked in a more serious tone.

Bruce was silent a moment before nodding his head.

"Yeah. I am. I feel like this actually might work out for the best," his smile warmed. "I can help people. Really help them. And... well, I'm not alone anymore, am I? I have friends again. People I can trust. I hadn't believed this to be possible again..."

"Hey, Big Guy," Tony stood up, glass in hand, and walked over to his friend. "My home is your home. You're practically part of the family as it is."

"Family, huh?" Bruce smiled and nodded his head. "I like the sound of that."


	23. The Widow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited by Arei-The Peridot Dragon

_Oh, joy.._. Loki thought sarcastically even as he worked to keep his expression pleasant. _Of all the Humans that I could encounter here,_ ** _she_** _is the one I'd rather continue to avoid._

As a woman, she was beautiful to behold. Even by Asgardian standards. Her body was slim and shapely. Depending on how she held herself, others could be easily fooled into believing she wasn't all that strong. Her hair was a deep red, so much so that it almost looked unnatural to the eye. And yet it was her true coloring.

Still, one shouldn't be fooled by outward appearances. Everything the woman did was perfectly calculated, all to make Loki feel at ease with her being nearby. Like now, for example. Her face was set in an open, pleasant expression with a soft smile tilting her lips upwards. Her body language was open, calm, and relaxed, and her voice was pitched low and gentle.

And yet, this woman was a master of manipulation, just as he was. Worse actually! She was more than capable of reading others around her using the slightest shift in body language, tone, and spoken word.

Loki had to be more than just mindful of his words around Natasha Romanov. He'd have to be careful of his motions too. Ugh. His best defense would be to remain aware of his words and actions when around the woman. Perhaps even speaking as little as possible.

He would not lose to a mere mortal. No matter how skilled said mortal was.

Natasha was currently standing in front of Loki, a kindly smile on her lips. The sort of smile that would melt the heart of many a mortal man.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Robert," she said in such a kindly, honest tone that made Loki want to twitch. "Steve has told me so much about you."

Loki remained quiet, acting reclusive and making himself seem a touch shy. She was testing him. He knew it. There was no way that tone was anything but a lie. He had to stay on guard.

"Also, Tony mentioned that you've been helping him," Natasha tapped thoughtfully at her chin, expertly drawing attention to lush lips. He ignored the movement. "You're a scientist, right?"

Loki nodded his head slowly in agreement.

"You're a mythologist too, I heard," she said with a tilt of her head. "Got ahead of the curve when it came to figuring out where those 'old gods' came from. That's pretty amazing."

While Natasha's smile hinted not one bit at her motive, he could tell that she was clearly baiting him with the compliment. Once again, Loki had to fight against the urge to gloat. He struggled not to laugh in her face and tell her that her world was a pitiful, backwater planet. That their 'advanced technology' was laughably pathetic.

 _So you little apes made it to the moon all on your own_ , he thought to himself. _And yet you cannot create enough energy and food to sustain yourself without ruining your own world in the process. Pathetic!_

"Hey now," Natasha pouted slightly, giving him an innocent look. "Don't tell me that you're scared of little ol' me?"

She could pull off the 'innocent lady' look quite well. Loki knew better. This 'innocent' had killed plenty of people over the years, likely by exploiting their more vulnerable sides. Honestly, it's what he'd do. Soften a person up by playing the inoffensive, harmless role and then stab them in the back when they were no longer wary.

Loki closed his eyes and took a slow breath. He had to say _something_ to the woman. Staying quiet right now would only look more suspicious. The best thing to do was to turn the conversation away from him and back on her. He opened his eyes, making sure to keep up the act of being nervous.

"Um... you're with... S.H.I.E.L.D.," he said softly, swallowing as if it had been hard to say even that much.

Natasha blinked at him in surprise and tilted her head, silently inviting him to continue.

"And... S.H.I.E.L.D. is..." Loki shifted warily, acting like he wanted to bolt. "They're HYDRA."

"Oh," Natasha said with another blink and a small, concerned frown. "You were threatened by HYDRA, weren't you?"

"Y-yeah," Loki said with a wary nod. "That's why I'm here. Because HYDRA was... I mean, I was... Well... I was the leak?"

"It's okay, you don't have to be nervous. I'm not with HYDRA," Natasha assured him with another smile before letting out a heavy sigh. "I didn't know about them either. If I had..."

She shook her head slightly and looked pensively away from Loki.

"It's a rather messed up situation, isn't it?" she said sympathetically. "I thought I could do some good for once in my life. S.H.I.E.L.D. was my chance to do that. But then this happened, and... well, I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Loki eyed the woman warily. Her words were likely sincere, but he knew that she was using them in a way to make herself look vulnerable. It was another attempt to get him to open up. To speak about himself.

He stayed quiet, only shifting his feet as if agitated.

Natasha looked back up at him, taking in his expression. She blinked and stepped forward, a curious light in her eyes. Loki frowned and leaned back.

"Um... what are you doing?" he asked.

"Those eyes..." Natasha tilted her head, examining him. "I feel like I've seen them somewhere before."

Loki's breath hitched in his throat. That was right, he'd kept his eyes because he'd been so proud of them. Why had he kept the same damn eye color!?

For a moment, a second that felt like a lifetime, Natasha stood there scrutinizing his face. She finally turned her head and laughed faintly. He relaxed faintly as the intense eye-contact was finally broken.

"I'm sorry about that," she said, offering him a soft smile. "I thought... no, it doesn't matter and isn't possible. I would have remembered your face, too, not just the eyes. And your's _is_ a handsome face."

Loki could not help but return the woman's smile, though it was somewhat awkward on his end. Of course, he looked handsome. He had designed it that way deliberately, though he would have preferred his real face. It was, after all, the visage of a god.

"So, how do you like it here at Stark Inc?" Natasha asked, clearly trying to change the subject by starting up a more casual discussion.

"It's... nice," Loki said, keeping things short and straightforward.

"I suppose that's one way of putting it," she said with a smirk and a soft laugh. "I heard you spent the day with Bruce, right?"

"He's smart," Loki responded with a nod.

 _For a Human, that is,_ he added mentally.

Natasha offered him another small smile and kept the light conversation going for a little longer. Much to Loki's annoyance and chagrin.

 

* * *

 

Some time later, both Tony and Bruce turned to look as the door to the lounge opened up, revealing the red-headed spy mistress. Two glasses lay on the table, along with a nearly empty bag of peanuts. Tony was quick to get up and find a third glass, filling it and then refilling the other two. Just in time too, as Natasha was swift to grab the glass from his hand, downing the drink before holding it out for a refill.

"So? What's the scoop?" Tony asked.

Despite him being on his fourth drink, he wasn't actually all that drunk. Years of drinking over the years had given him a pretty decent tolerance to the stuff. Bruce, in comparison, was only half-way finished with his second glass. Not only that, but he didn't intend to have another. He had no desire to find out what would happen if he got well and truly sloshed.

"Well, at the very least, he is extremely wary of me. It's not an act, and he is very good at closing up like a damn oyster," Natasha said as Tony obliged by refilling her glass. She flashed him a smile in thanks and then frowned. "He is definitely hiding _something_ , but since we already know that 'Robert' isn't his name, that's not that surprising. He's on guard, especially around me."

"Aaaand?" Tony asked, spinning a finger in a 'go on' gesture.

"And nothing," Natasha admitted in a dry tone. "That's all I got from him."

"Wait. What? Seriously?" Tony asked, surprise flickering over his features.

"The man's surprisingly difficult to read," Natasha said with a sigh, she held the cold glass up to her forehead and let out a huff of breath. "I'm sorry. I'm just really tired right now."

"Are you alright?" Bruce asked, shooting her a worried look.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, Bruce. I just... I feel used, you know?" Natasha said, eyes falling shut. She shook her head. "S.H.I.E.L.D. used me. They came to me and told me that I wouldn't have to be a mindless assassin anymore. That I could do some good in the world. And yet, what happened? Just the same old story. I feel so... _stupid_."

"You're not stupid, Natasha," Bruce assured her in a firm voice.

"Of course I am," Natasha responded with a soft hiss, rubbing at her brow. "Whenever I've received a mission, I immediately carried it out without asking _any_ questions. I didn't even realize that I could have been working for HYDRA! Any large organization risks infiltration by enemy agents. I should have checked first. Stupid!"

"Weeeeell," Tony started with a weak grin. "I don't mean to say I told you so, _but_ -"

"Shut up, Tony," Natasha opened her eyes and growled threateningly. He held up his hands defensively, and she let out a heavy sigh. "I suppose the sayings true. Once a monster, always a monster, yeah?"

"Natasha," Bruce said, shaking his head and moving over to stand near her. "Listen to me, okay? I know a thing or two about monsters, and you aren't one of them."

"That's very sweet of you, Bruce," Natasha said, smiling gently before looking away from. "But I'm afraid you don't know what I am. _Who_ I am. It's my job to look sweet and innocent. But I trick people into telling me their secrets and then kill them for a living if deemed necessary."

"I know," Bruce said in a soothing tone. "But I also know that there is more to a person than just their job, regardless of profession. That part of you, the part that kills without emotion? Yes, that's you. But so is the kind woman who faced down the Hulk, who held out a hand in friendship rather than shoot him."

Natasha blinked in surprise, lifting her head and looking back up to meet Bruce's gaze. Tony stayed quiet, turning away to refill his drink while hiding a grin.

"Bruce?" she started hesitantly. "You..."

Bruce smiled shyly and ducked his head for a moment before his face turned serious. He met her gaze unflinchingly.

"Believe me, Natasha," he said in an encouraging tone. "I have seen my fair share of cruel people out there. People who take open pleasure in the misery of others. People who can rightly be called 'monsters.' You _feel_ Natasha. Guilt, sorrow, grief. In feeling those things stronger than them, you are better than they are Natasha. You find no pleasure in your job. You are a kind person."

Natasha's eyes widened further and further as he spoke. Once he fell silent, a blush stained her cheeks pink, and she turned her head away. She chuckled softly and brushed a few strands of loose hair behind her ear.

"That's... very sweet of you to say, Bruce," she said softly.

"Hey, if it helps any," Tony started with a grin. He leaned against the table and placed his hand in his chin, pointing his glass in her direction. " _I_ still think that you're kind of a bitch. In a good way."

"Really, Tony?" Bruce said in a dead-pan tone even as Natasha let out a soft snort of amusement.

"You're just saying that because I beat you in a fight," Natasha said, smiling.

"Yup," Tony made the 'p' pop and took a sip of his drink. Natasha chuckled in amusement, and Bruce shook his head as Tony continued. "Though, to be honest? I am glad that you're on my side."

"I am too," Natasha admitted with a small smile. The smile faded, and she let out a gusty sigh. "Tony, I... I wanted to do good. To be good. All my life, I was raised, trained, to kill. To do what others considered evil. I was never once asked if that was what I wanted for myself. S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury were the first to even bother asking me what _I_ wanted. But that was just a lie. _S.H.I.E.L.D._ lied. Fury... Fury, at least, had his head in the right place, but in the end, he couldn't trust his own people. This whole debacle proved that. And now? Now I... I can only hope that there is still a way, some way, for me to do something _good_ with my life."

"Of course, there is!" Bruce said as he reached out a hand to touch her shoulder. "And you have done plenty of good already! Think of how many we saved together during the Battle. You can and will do more. Trust me, Nat."

Natasha looked up, meeting Bruce's earnest gaze silently for a few moments before she smiled. Bruce smiled back, dropping his hand back to his side.

"Thank you," she said sincerely as she looked between the two men. "Both of you. That means a lot to me."

"Don't thank us yet," Tony said with a smirk, taking another sip of his drink, "you might end up regretting joining us for different reasons. Still, it's good to have you on the team Red. We'll do a lot of good together. Promise."

Natasha chuckled and shook her head in amusement at Tony's antics. A soft smile remained on her lips as they drifted on to other topics, and she could honestly say that she felt happy just then. Genuinely happy.

It was a good feeling.


	24. Natural disaster

Loki took great care to not slip up while around the others. The work he did with Bruce and Tony was often very tiresome, though that was mostly because there were times that the two mortals were too slow to pick up on the specifics for Loki's liking. Still, he recognized the need to allow the pair to figure some things out on their own instead of spelling it out for them. Allowing the pair to perform the necessary mathematical equations on their own or 'as a group' rather than simply handing out answers like they were a children's treat was very, nay extremely, important. He needed to 'build good rapport' with them after all.

Sadly there were times when it felt like _forever_ for Bruce and Tony to finally arrive at the obvious conclusions. Not that he ever _let_ them see his frustration.

Thankfully, Loki had thought up an excellent way of dealing with the boredom during these times. He could simply escape into his own mind, building little 'what if' scenarios in his head. Thor was sure to show up sooner or later, after all. Once he did, then there would finally be someone that he could gloat to. Or at.

One particular fantasy played over and over again in his mind; Thor would walk in on the pair of mortal scientists as they were working and then pause and marvel at the progress they had made. He would then turn to them, all wide-eyed and gaping mouth before asking them, 'My dear mortal friends, how did you figure all of this out on your own?' in an awed voice. From there, the two mortals would start to talk about Robert. About _him_. They would gush over how amazing and brilliant he was. That he was a Genius! An absolute _marvel_ and handsome on top of it all.

From there, Thor would likely seek Loki out to meet the 'genius named Robert,' and find him in a seemingly empty room filled with equipment. In this little fantasy, Loki would have his own private lab, of course. It would take the buffoon a moment to spot Loki casually laying down on one of the work tables... or perhaps not. No. He would likely have to nonchalantly gain Thor's attention by saying... hmm, maybe something like 'Well met, Thor Odinson' would do. With a little bit of heat so that Thor would recognize him as Loki.

Oh, and just how shocked would his _brother_ be by that revelation? The fool would stand there. Oh yes. With his jaw dropped and his eyes so wide as to almost pop out of their sockets, of course! Loki could see it so perfectly in his mind's eye. Since Thor would be too dumbfounded to talk at that point, he should say something else. Something like, 'What is the matter, Thor? Did you really think that the mortals of Midgard were smart enough to figure any of this out on their own? Ha! And isn't it funny how easily your little friends came to depend on a _power_ far greater than their own?' would do nicely.

By that point, Thor would likely have recovered enough to give him that confused, lost little puppy dog look of his. Loki would smirk at him, making sure to tilt his head just so for Thor to see Loki's bright green eyes and then taunt the other man further by saying, 'Your dear friends now consider me to be a loyal and dependable ally you know. They all but gave me the keys to their world. Gift wrapped no less! How fickle and fragile these Humans are. Isn't it just so kind of them, _brother_?' in a smug tone.

He'd turn over then, onto his stomach and bracing his chin in one hand as he smiled smugly in Thor's direction. From there, Thor would get upset. Of course, he would! His eyes would mist up with barely contained tears of either sorrow or frustration, maybe even a little bit of anger. Loki would then taunt him by saying, 'What are you going to do now, Thor? Hm? Try to tell them who I am? Ha! That won't work, and you know it. They won't believe you!' and enjoy laughing in his face! That would really anger the big Oaf. Enough to even make him yell, hmm, yes... he would bark out something along the lines of 'You shall free them of your spell now Loki!' in that 'I'm a big man, listen to me' voice of his all while accusing Loki of using Mind-control on his 'precious' friends.

Loki would then laugh in his face, maybe leap off the table and get nose to nose with his 'dear brother' before hissing out, 'But Thor, do you not remember that I have no magic right now thanks to Odin? It's not like I would _need_ magic to enslave the Humans anyway. I just need to dangle the right incentives in their faces, and they fall right into my hands.' before laughing coldly. His laughter would only grow more chilling, enhanced by the helpless look that would no doubt be on Thor's face. Thor's despair would only grow as he realized that it was _Loki_ who was controlling events _as he pleased_.

Ah, such a thing would be satisfying indeed.

Still, that was simply Loki's personal fantasy about how it all would go down. The Avengers level of adoration in said imaginings was likely far greater than it could ever be in real life. Still, it was _his_ secret little day-dream. As such, he could imagine whatever the Hel he wanted. He _did_ want to make as much of it come to fruition as possible in reality.

The entire scenario was playing through Loki's mind once more while he was standing behind Tony and Bruce. The pair of men had their heads bowed over their current project. Tony turned back to look at Loki and snickered softly. The noise pulled Loki from his thoughts, and he looked up at the other male.

"What?" he asked with a raised brow.

"You're doing it again," Tony said with a grin.

"I can't help it," Loki responded, lying through his teeth. "I'm as excited as you are!"

That little lie had become his explanation for his habit of standing with a distant look in his eyes and a grin on his lips. Better for them to think that he was lost in a fantasy of future scientific discoveries than what he was really doing. Tony smirked and twirled a tool between his fingers.

"I know that feeling!" he said as he turned back to the device. "New technology like this is... it's just... so _cool_!"

"It really is," Bruce said as he nodded his head in agreement. Even he was excited by their recent findings.

Loki smiled to himself. As the Midgardian's said, 'another bullet dodged' and all that. He closed his eyes once more, pulling back to mind Thor's sad, pathetic face. The imagined despair that his precious friends were loyal now to Loki more than they were Thor. Oh, he couldn't _wait_ for that day to arrive. It would be glorious! It would be-

The electric doors suddenly opened wide, and a booming voice sounded through the lab.

"WELL MET MY FRIENDS!" the familiar voice shouted. At the top of the person's lungs no less.

Loki froze where he stood in shock, eyes still shut tight. He missed seeing Tony and Bruce looking up to see the visitor, smiles on their lips. His thoughts were locked in a shocked loop.

 _No. No, it cannot be,_ Loki thought to himself frantically. _Please don't be him!_

"Thor! Good to see you, Point Break! How ya been?" Tony asked with a laugh, casually tossing the tool in his hand to the side. "Robert! You're going to love meeting this guy!"

Loki's eyes were still pinched shut, his back to Thor, and his thoughts racing wildly.

 _No,_ Loki thought frantically. _No, no, no!_

"Is this a new friend, friend Stark?" Thor asked, his voice sounding so happy and curious.

 _Nonononono!_ Loki growled in his mind to try to cut off his frantic line of thought. _Fu- This was_ ** _not_** _how this was supposed to go!_

"Yup!" Tony said happily, blissfully unaware of 'Robert's' plight. "Robby-boy here figured out that you guys were probably aliens from space _years_ ago. He's been obsessed with you guys since. So much so that he actually entered battle zone during the attack on New York just to get a closer look! My kind of guy, ya know? Look at this, Rob! It's the Space-Viking himself! Exciting stuff, right?"

Tony turned to look at Loki and fell silent when he noticed how still he'd become. He shrugged and looked back at Thor.

"Eh, give him a sec big guy," he said with a grin. "I bet he's just overwhelmed by the thought of meeting you."

Loki mentally growled at himself, eyes still shut. Things could still work the way he wanted them to. He could salvage this, this _mess_. He had his silver tongue to fall back on. His cleverness. He... he could make Thor feel despair and leave Tony and Bruce utterly confused by what was going on around them. Of course, he could! He was Lie-smith Loki, the Silver-tongued god of Asgard. He took in a careful breath and spoke.

"It is indeed an honor, Thor Prince of Asgard," he said in a quiet tone as he turned around, lifted his head and opened his eyes.

Upon seeing his face, Thor's eyes flew open in shocked recognition, and his mouth dropped open. Loki smirked slightly. That was better. Expected even. Thor standing there, utterly silent, with his mouth gaping like a hooked fish and surprise written clearly over his face and body? Yes. Much better. Loki forced himself to relax as much as possible as the other two, Bruce and Tony, looked back and forth between them in confusion.

Thor, of course, had to ruin it all. His expression of shock faded to one of joy. He lifted his arms, a massive smile on his face, and shouted loud enough that Loki wouldn't have been surprised to find out he'd woken citizens back on Asgard!

"YESSS!" he hollered.

Loki blinked rapidly in surprise and quickly tried to collect himself.

"Thor of Asgard," he said, working to keep his tone free of the confusion and aggravation that he was feeling. "I-"

And that was as far as he got. Thor took three quick steps forward, right into Loki's personal space, and then just... just _picked him up and held him in a crushing hug!_ In front of the _Humans_!

"Well met friend Robert! Well met indeed!" Thor boomed, laughing and... and _crying_ even as Loki struggled to get free by wriggling about like a snake. Sadly, he was hopelessly trapped in his _brother's_ firm grasp.

"What are you doing?!" Loki shouted in anger and confusion even as his thoughts raced wildly.

 _Why Thor_ ** _Why_** _?!_ he thought despairingly. _Why do you always have to ruin everything! Put me down! Put me down right_ ** _now_** _, you big oaf or so help me...!_

Tony and Bruce continued to stand there looking dumbfounded by the interaction between their otherworldly friend and new scientist buddy. They shared a confounded look before Tony turned back to them and coughed into his hand to get their attention. They both looked at him, Thor happy and 'Robert' looking grumpy as hell, and he waved a hand at them in a circular motion.

"So... do you two, like," Tony hesitated before plowing on, "know each other or something?"

Thor _finally_ let Loki go, and the taller man turned to face Tony fully. Loki, in comparison, was hopelessly trying to get his clothes and hair back into some semblance of order.

"Nay! It is simply that I am always happy to make new friends!" Thor said with a grin.

Loki was almost pleased with the Oaf's willingness to maintain his cover, but then the idiot had to turn to give him a very big, very _obvious_ wink. Loki let out a faint, disgruntled hiss and squint-glared at Thor before turning away from the group. Once his back was to the others, he scowled openly and muttered a few curses under his breath.

"Right... well, you've always been an exuberant kind of person Point Blank," Tony admitted with a laugh and a shake of his head. He coughed into his hand a second later and waved at 'Robert's' turned back before leaning closer to Thor. "But, erm, next time you want to make new friends, keep something in mind? Picking them up first thing like that is _not_ how we do things here on Earth, okay? Handshakes are a thing here, buddy."

Loki glared at the wall, listening, but not entirely paying attention to the conversation behind him. Instead, he was still trying to think of a way to turn things around to _his_ benefit and not Thor's.

"Noted, Friend Stark," Thor said with another laugh.

He then clapped Loki on the back so harshly that he nearly fell over. Loki caught himself and pinned the big Oaf with a quick glare. Thor, in turn, looked surprised, and then briefly sheepish. It was apparent that he had forgotten about Loki's reduced strength. Such a friendly clap to the shoulder wouldn't have budged him in the slightest had he been at full strength. Thor offered him a sheepish grin before crossing his arms, eyes still locked on Loki's.

"So then, tell me. What does friend... _Robert_ ," he said, clearly empathizing Loki's assumed name to the point that Loki wanted to facepalm, "do to help you?"

"Ah! So glad you asked!" Tony said, always eager to talk about technology. He waved his hand back toward their equipment. "We're trying to locate any and all of the Gamma space crap that has been dropped here on Earth over the years."

"..." Thor blinked and looked at Tony. "Eh?"

Loki had to bite his tongue to avoid snapping out a blistering answer. Better... better to just let Bruce and Tony handle things at the moment. He couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't start insulting Thor and acting 'out of character' around the two scientists.

"You remember the last time you were here?" Bruce asked, interjecting before Tony could go on a technical rant. "I told you about the energy readings coming off of the Tesseract, the Mind Staff, and Malakith, right?"

Thor nodded, and Bruce continued.

"Right," the good-natured doctor said with a smile. "So, we are trying to figure out if there is anything else like that on Earth. And if there is, we need to work out what we will do with it after we find and collect it."

"And... friend Robert is helping you with this?" Thor asked, turning his eyes back to Loki.

Loki simply gave up at that point, _beyond_ fed up with it all, and looked away again.

"Yup!" Tony said with a grin. "He's a specialist, like Bruce and I."

Thor smiled softly at that and nodded his head, "I see."

 _No! Obviously, you don't, you big Oaf!_ Loki thought angrily to himself. _I am allowing them the privilege of leading me to these items._ ** _I_** _am not helping_ ** _them_** _!_ ** _They_** _are helping_ ** _me_** _!_

"If he has earned your approval, Friend Stark, then he must be good," Thor said, clapping Loki on the shoulder lightly.

Loki glanced over at Thor and frowned. Thor's eyes looked so soft, filled with warmth and hope. It was sickening to Loki to be the focus of such a gaze.

"I am glad, truly glad, to find you here... Robert," Thor said.

As Thor chuckled in amusement, Loki turned his head away once more. At that point, he wished he was allowed to just... to just die. This whole farce had been nothing but embarrassing!

 _Please... someone... just kill me,_ Loki thought with a mental wail. _I don't care any more. Just make this disaster end!_

Sadly, no such mercy was granted to the fallen Prince of Asgard. Once again, Thor had managed to ruin all of Loki's plans.


	25. Meaning of worth

Loki found himself feeling unsure whether or not he should consider it a blessing or a _curse_ that Thor was acting wiser than Loki thought he would upon seeing him ensconced among his allies.

Firstly, Thor had _not_ given away Loki's true identity to his allies as he had expected. Oh, it was true that Thor gave him the occasional nudge, and that damned _wink_ when he'd first shown up, but he never actually addressed him by his true name. Nor did Thor allude to any of their prior interactions. Even while laughing and boasting about the current going's on back on Asgard, being his usual, boisterous self, he never once slipped up and called Loki by his name, or referred to him as brother.

And to say that Loki had listened intently on _all_ of the conversations that the Oaf had to stop him if he showed signs of saying anything stupid and giving him away was an understatement.

Secondly, when Loki and Thor briefly found themselves alone in an isolated hallway, Thor _still_ didn't say anything. Instead, he smiled and subtly hinted at one of the many cameras dotting the hall. Loki had been shocked. That Thor was smart enough to have realized that the entire tower was under surveillance was... surprising.

 _Well then,_ Loki thought to himself with a huff. _Perhaps Thor actually has two whole brain cells to work with instead of just the one I'd assumed him to have. Now, if the Oaf could just stop looking so_ ** _stupidly happy all the damned time_** _, that would be wonderful._

As it turned out, Thor had indeed shown up just for a friendly visit. He'd wanted to see how Earth itself was holding up and find out if they, his friends or the people of the planet, needed any Asgardian assistance. He had also stopped to visit one 'Jane Foster,' whom he had gotten to know during his Exile.

Sadly, a pattern that Loki was all too familiar with began to emerge. Thor's mere presence, with his broad smile and booming voice, made all others nearby cheer up. Soon enough, they would smile and laugh in turn. It was as if Thor's essence had some magical property to it that made people _happy_. That made people _adore_ the Oaf.

Thankfully, Loki found himself spared from the usual response that Asgardian's gave the muscle-bound blonde. All googly eyes and simpering smiles. Instead, the Avengers seemed... mostly to be amused, or perhaps _bemused_ , by Thor's exuberant personality. It was as if he were an oddity amongst them, welcome yes, but confusing all the same. They would even shake their heads at some of his more simple observations and smile at each other.

Indeed, what surprised Loki was when they would blatantly _make fun of_ Thor. They, Tony especially, would crack jokes at Thor's expense. To his face, even! Something that would _never_ have been allowed to happen on Asgard. No Asgardian, not one _soul_ , would dare to make fun of Odin's Golden Princeling. Well, no one except for _Loki_ , but that was something people expected. Loki had often made fun of the 'prodigal son of Odin,' only to get scorned for it later on by others.

What really shocked Loki, though, was Thor's _reaction_ to being made fun of by the Avengers.

Loki _knew_ Thor. Before witnessing his interactions with the Avengers, he would have sworn to all and sundry that Thor did _not_ take well to being made fun of. That the Oaf would not tolerate _any_ such showing of disrespect. That Thor would get angry and tell off those who dared say such things, perhaps even threaten or challenge them to a fight to correct the _slight_ against his honor. Loki and Thor had often gotten into arguments over the blonde's temper.

Now, however? He... just laughed it off and bantered back, his tone remaining friendly. Cordial, even. It was... _odd_ , to say the least. Even the worst of Tony's colorful and clearly condescending comments were shrugged off. Either Thor was too stupid to notice Tony's insults to his pride or... or he was honestly just letting it slide.

At first glance, Loki was inclined to believe it was the former, but then... Thor started to respond in kind. One seemingly biting little comment from Tony about Thor's muscle-bound nature was countered expertly by Thor teasing the other man about his lack of self-care and awareness. A counter that was proven accurate when Tony turned away in a supposed huff, walked into one of his robots, called Dum-E, and almost fell flat on his face. Much to everyone's amusement.

Thor... knew exactly what they were doing. Was _playing along_ with their banter.

That... wasn't like Thor.

That wasn't like him _at all_.

Loki ended up staring at Thor warily for a long time as the others interacted with each other. Thor glanced back toward Loki at one point, as if feeling the other man's gaze. Their eyes met, and Thor grinned at him. Loki huffed and turned his head away, breaking the gaze.

 _Right then,_ Loki thought darkly. _Thor is just putting on a dumb act, trying to show me that he's changed. That he's 'grown up' or what have you. As these pathetic Humans are fond of saying, I am not buying what you're selling, Thor. Now go away!_

Eventually, Thor announced to everyone that he was going to take a walk around town. To get some 'fresh air' or whatever. Loki glanced up then to make some sort of passably acceptable farewell when Thor pinned him with a 'Look.'

A thousand years of such communication learned on and off the battlefield was not so easily forgotten or ignored. That single 'look' told Loki all he needed to know. He was to go with Thor. The Oaf wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, and there was little to no way to avoid Thor without causing a scene.

Fine. That was... fine. Without the Avengers around, Loki would finally be able to reveal his plan. Perhaps he'd even be able to gloat a bit and knock Thor out of whatever hopeful dream he'd cooked up in his head regarding Loki's presence with the Avengers. Though, if he was honest with himself, he'd rather lost hope on that front.

"I'll join you," he said, stifling a put-upon sigh. "I could use some fresh air myself."

Thor feigned surprise and clapped him on the shoulder. Gently this time.

"Truly?" he said with a grin. "How wonderful, friend Robert."

"I'll come too," Natasha said, standing up and stretching a little.

"There is no need, Lady Romanoff," Thor assured her with a small smile. "I would like to spend more time getting to know my newest Earth friend."

 _Don't scowl…_ ** _don't_** _scowl…_ Loki thought to himself, brow twitching. _And don't spit in his stupid face!_

Natasha hesitated a bit but finally nodded and sat back down. Once Thor and Loki had left the room, she turned to look at the others with a small frown.

"Those two know each other," she pointed out bluntly.

"We know," everyone else in the room said in perfect unison, up to and including Jarvis. Natasha snorted softly in amusement.

 

* * *

 

As Thor and Loki exited the tower, Thor proved once more that he was just a smidge smarter than Loki would have liked to credit him with. Rather than immediately start talking to him, he instead stayed silent and guided Loki to what looked like a run-down bar. Thor glanced inside and then nodded in satisfaction, gesturing for Loki to follow him as he entered the building. Once within, Thor walked over to the bartender and asked if there were any closed-off rooms for privacy. The bartender smiled and offered them the use of a room in the back meant for private parties and corporate meetings. Thor thanked the man and then ordered up two large beers, which were poured swiftly. The bartender then directed them to the room in question, and Thor started off down the hall, beers in hand and a smile on his face.

The room in question was quite large, fitted with a huge, narrow table and chairs enough to seat up to twenty-four Humans. Thor sat down at the end closest to the door and placed the second beer in front of the seat directly across from him. He gestured for Loki to take a seat and smiled winningly at him. Loki, however, did not sit down and instead stayed by the now-closed door with his arms crossed. Thor shrugged and grinned, looking away and taking a small sip of his drink.

"Well... that _was_ a surprise, finding you with the others," he started slowly before chuckling. "But it was a wonderful one. Neither Father, Mother, nor Heimdal would tell me what had happened to you or where you were at a given time. Words... they cannot appropriately describe how happy and relieved I am to find you safe and well."

Thor looked back over at him, and Loki could see that his eyes were glimmering with the beginnings of unshed tears. Loki was so very, very glad that he no longer needed to pretend to be 'Robert' at the moment. As such, he groaned openly at Thor's expression, throwing his head back and rubbing at his forehead as he glared at the ceiling.

"Are you _quite_ done?" he asked in a snappish, resigned tone.

"To think," Thor started with another chuckle, "that you of all people would join the Avengers!"

"I have _not_ 'joined the Avengers,' Thor!" Loki snapped back firmly. "They just happen to be the greatest technological resource this stupid planet has! I am _using_ those fools to benefit me!"

Thor raised an eyebrow at him.

"Really?" he asked doubt ringing in his voice despite the fact that he was _still_ smiling.

"Why, Thor? Does that surprise you?" Loki grinned, his voice turning silky-smooth. This was the perfect time to wipe that _stupid_ grin off of Thor's face. "The mortals are here for me to use as I please even now. Your so-called friends are nothing but my pawns."

Thor's other brow rose to meet the first, a completely clueless expression on his face... and then he shrugged. _Shrugged_!

"If you say so," he said, turning back to his beer.

"Would you _listen_ to me!" Loki shouted, stepping away from the door and slamming his hands down on the table. "I am using them to guide me towards the few items on Earth that would have any value to me."

Thor looked up, seemingly not startled by Loki's outburst, and met his gaze head-on.

"Alright. What for?" he asked bluntly.

"What... what do you mean, 'what for'?!" Loki snapped back. "With the power held within such items, Earth and many other realms would be mine to rule as I see fit!"

Thor frowned in thought and then _shrugged again_ before taking another sip of his beer.

"That seems like a very roundabout way of going about it," he admitted to Loki.

Loki growled, containing a frustrated shout and slapped a hand over his face. Had Thor always been this blasted thick? Seriously? Perhaps Loki had been wrong regarding his observations this day. Thor was just... a stupid Oaf. And yet, Thor was smiling as he looked at Loki over the rim of his glass.

"It's going to be good to have you home again, brother," he said in a soft tone.

"What in the world are you talking about, Thor?" Loki asked, his voice muffled by his hand.

"You are here, helping to defend Earth," Thor said, his grin widening. "That alone must lead to a sure-fire way of proving you worthy. Likely quite soon as well."

Loki's hand fell away from his face, and he stared, astounded and dumbfounded, at Thor.

"What?" he asked in a deadpan voice.

"You heard me," Thor said, that infuriating smile still on his lips. "You should soon have a chance to prove yourself worthy."

For a long moment, Loki continued to look at Thor in geniene, honest shock. A smile flickered over his lips a moment later, laughter bubbling up uncontrolled from his throat.

"Ha... haha...hahahaha! Worthy?" he asked, still laughing. "You think that I should try and prove myself _worthy_?!"

Thor blinked at Loki in confusion.

"Isn't that why you-?" he started, only to be cut off.

"Is that what you really think is going on here?" Loki asked, his laughter turning cold.

"Wait," Thor blinked again, straightening in his chair. "You... have you not yet even attempted to prove yourself worthy?!"

"Why, in the 'All-Father's name,' would I even _try_?" Loki snapped back bitterly.

"You haven't!?" Thor asked as he stood up. "Loki, why? Is it merely to spite Odin and I? Loki you..."

Thor sighed and raised his hands imploringly.

"Loki," he began again in a gentler tone. "You need only prove yourself worthy. That is all. And then you can come _home_."

"Even if it were that _stupidly_ simple," Loki started with a sneer. "I will never return to Asgard. Not unless you're willing to bow to me and give me the throne that is my _right_."

"Oh, brother," Thor shook his head and dropped his hands as if resigned. "You truly have a long way to go yet, don't you?"

"We are _not_ brothers," Loki hissed at him, almost by reflex.

"It is alright," Thor said gently, ignoring Loki's snapping. "I shall wait patiently for the day that you are ready to prove yourself worthy once more. Whether it be a hundred or a thousand years from now, I shall wait and keep the gates of Asgard open for you."

"Oh Thor, you do amuse me. You know that, yes?" Loki said with another dark, bitter chuckle. "As if I, Loki, The Great _Liesmith_ , could ever prove myself worthy enough to meet the high standards of Odin the _All-Father_."

Thor tilted his head, meeting Loki's eyes once more.

"Wake _up_ , Thor!" Loki demanded with a snarl, hand slashing through the air to make his point. "To act as if that goal was _ever_ within my reach is naught but a cruel joke! Do you not see it? You would have me be willing to sacrifice myself, my life, and the core of who I am, to save these mortals of yours? You would have me be a paragon of _honesty_ and _selflessness_? I, whom they call the God of Lies, Chaos, and Trickery!? That is not in my nature!"

"There is more than one way to prove yourself worthy," Thor insisted gently.

Loki snorted in frustration and turned his back on Thor.

"Brother," Thor started gently, taking a step towards Loki and reaching out with one hand. Loki twisted out of range of his grasp.

"Do not dare touch me," Loki said with a demanding hiss. "And we are _not_ brothers, you fool."

Thor went still, hesitating for a moment, and then stepped back, allowing his hand to fall back to his side.

"You continue to be your own worst enemy Loki," Thor said with a soft sigh. Loki barked out a cold laugh.

"Feeling _pity_ , are we now Thor?" he asked. "When it is by your own suggestion that I am even here? Like this?"

"Loki-" Thor tried to speak, but Loki cut him off, spinning around to face him and once more slashing at the air with his hand.

"NO!" Loki shouted, eyes burning with anger. "That Odin took away your powers was well deserved. They were powers gifted to you by Odin at your birth! You did not have to work and toil for them! My illusions? My magic? Those were _not_ a gift handed to me on a golden platter! It took a thousand years of study to master my craft. Each and _every_ single trick was earned through hard work and _effort_! They were _not_ for you to throw away, Thor!"

"Loki, your powers were not thrown away," Thor said, letting out a heavy sigh. "You need only earn the right to access those tricks, that magic, once more."

"I already told you, that _cannot happen,_ " Loki seethed, voice hissing through clenched teeth. "I should 'prove myself worthy'? Worthy of _what_?! As if there was _ever a chance that I could PROVE MYSELF WORTHY IN ODIN'S EYES!"_

Loki's voice ended in a shout as he spun around and grabbed the nearest chair, flinging it at Thor's head. Thor merely reached out and caught the damned thing before it could hit his face. Rather than throw it aside, or back at Loki, he set the chair down gently.

"Do not break any of the furniture in here, Loki," he instructed in a damnably calm voice.

"As if you are one to talk about breaking the furniture!" Loki fumed, kicking a nearby chair toward Thor. Once more, Thor remained unmoved and simply moved the chair aside gently.

 _Why... why is Thor acting like this?_ Loki thought angrily. _Why isn't he losing his temper as well, like he usually does?_

Thor was the one notoriously known for losing his temper, not Loki. And yet, here they were. Loki, angry enough to break everything in the room and Thor standing there like an unmoving rock facing a storm. Why weren't his eyes filled with despair, or sadness, or anger?! How was he remaining so... so steadfast in the face of Loki's rage? This... this was not the Thor that Loki knew. Worst still was the damned look of _pity_ in Thor's eyes. A look that only stoked Loki's fury to greater heights. Thor finally broke the growing silence with a deep sigh, letting his eyes fall shut.

"I see. You are not yet ready. It will be okay. That is why you are here, after all. You'll get there eventually," Thor said softly, opening his eyes and smiling faintly at Loki. Loki sneered in response. Thor coughed into his hand and pressed on. "Erhm... Look, Loki. I am really, truly glad to have found you. There are things that I have wanted to say to you that I did not have a chance to say before."

Loki snorted at his words and turned away once more, crossing his arms and glaring at the far wall of the room.

"Right then... I just..." Thor's voice stuttered to a halt for a moment before he shouldered on. "Look, I know that in the past I have not always been a.. a good brother to you. Or... well, a good person in general. My arrogance and foolishness, it... I was an idiot, and I am sorry for that. I dragged you along on so many 'adventures' even when you'd said _no_. I rarely considered your feelings or... or even bothered to _thank_ you for what you did for us when you dragged us out of many a mess that I made. I wish to do better. I wish to _be_ better. And... and I would like to mend our broken bonds if at all possible."

"What 'bonds' do you speak of?" Loki asked coldly. "We are not related."

"Loki," Thor closed his eyes and let out another sigh before speaking firmly. "You are here, now, because you committed a crime. Afterward, you refused to work with us. You cannot put the blame for your actions on me. Please, Loki, just _try_? I truly believe you have it within you to prove yourself. You _can_ do this, Loki."

"Do _not_ mock me further still," Loki said scathingly as he turned to pin Thor with a burning glare.

Thor met that glare with an air of steadfast resignation about him. He sighed a few moments later.

"I see. You won't listen to me. At least not at this time," he said softly. "That's... that's okay. I'll wait. When you are ready, I will be here to listen."

Thor turned and picked up his beer glass, emptying it in one go. He lowered the glass, drying his mouth with the back of his hand. He nodded a moment later.

"The Avengers are good people," Thor said calmly. "Be aware, they are not as easily fooled as you might think. I shall not meddle with your plans, as I assume that if you were doing anything that might bring Harm to any Humans, that Heimdal would have already punished you by now."

Loki huffed angrily. He remembered all too well how it felt to have Heimdal's voice booming inside of his skull.

"I will crush the Human's myself when the time is right," Loki said as confidently as possible.

Thor shook his head and let out a bemused noise.

"You tried that when you were at full power," he pointed out gently. "What makes you think that you would be able to do so now?"

Thor's response made Loki hiss like a cat whose tail had been trodden upon. He did so hate being caught out in a lie. Thor did not prod further but frowned and changed the subject abruptly.

"You have yet to tell us whose army you were controlling," Thor said gently. "Whose eyes are on Earth?"

Loki turned his gaze back to the far wall and remained silent.

"Even if you will not do it for the Earth and its' people, your sense of self-preservation would still guide your hand to prepare Earth for danger," Thor smiled openly once more. "After all, you live here now."

Loki remained silent, not deigning to lower himself to counter Thor's statement. Instead, he continued to fume. Thor shook his head once more and started for the door.

"I shall see you soon, I'd imagine," he said in lieu of a farewell.

Once the door was shut, Loki kicked one of the chairs so that it hit the wall nearest the door hard and fast.

 _Why, now of all times, did Thor decide to grow a damned brain?! Since_ ** _when_** _had he become such a... such a smarty-pants?! URGH!_ Loki grabbed his face and growled in frustration. Y _ou think you're better than me, Thor?! Go wipe that look of pity off of your face, you damned_ ** _fool_** _. I don't need_ ** _you_** _! I don't need the aid of_ ** _Asgard_** _! I can handle this myself!_


	26. Normalcy

It was with a heavy heart that Thor made his goodbyes to the Avengers. Loki had not been with them. He had, in fact, avoided Thor for the remainder of the blonde's stay at the tower. Honestly, Thor was not in the least bit surprised. Thankfully, all of his other friends had arrived to see him off. Tony, Steve, Natasha, Bruce, and even Clint. It truly warmed Thor's heart to see how the group had grown. A rag-tag team of former strangers had banded together, recognized each other's worth, skill, and value.

And then there was Loki...

Thor let out a deep sigh and forced himself not to worry overmuch. There was hardly a better group of people that Loki could have integrated with. Especially if he was to be taught a lesson about the  _good_ that Humanity had to offer. Thor turned his attention back to said friends and smiled warmly at them.

"Do not forget my friends; if any danger hails from beyond your realm, call on me through Heimdall. I shall come at once to aid you. Do not fear," Thor said to them in an assuring tone.

"That's good to know, big guy," Tony said with a smile of amusement. His grin faltered not even a moment later, however.

"Friend Stark, is something wrong?" Thor asked, his own expression becoming more serious. "Tell me what is on your mind?"

"Look, Point Break... I..." Tony let out a gusty sigh and mussed his hair. "The rest of us had a talk. You  _know_ 'Robert,' don't you?"

Thor fell silent and declined to answer. Though, really that in and of itself was answer enough, wasn't it? Thor sighed as he realized that and then slowly nodded his head.

"Yeah, thought so. You took Rob out of the tower deliberately to talk to him in private, yeah?" Tony asked with a small grin.

"I... supposed that was me giving things away," Thor chuckled and smiled apologetically at his friend before falling silent once more.

"Okay, I'm going to level with you Point break. We  _don't_ need to know what the two of you were talking about. Hell, we don't even need to know how the two of you know each other. I mean, everyone here has their own shitty background, right?" Tony said, looking around at the others. Everyone nodded in response, and he turned back to Thor. "Right. So... what we  _do_ need to know is one thing; Can Robert, or whatever his name is, be  _trusted_?"

Thor hesitated, and for a good reason. Tony's question was, in fact, far more complicated than he would have liked to admit. There was no straight 'yes' or 'no' answer to that question. And yet, Thor felt that he owed his friends an honest answer. He sighed, frowned, and crossed his arms in thought.

"Thor?" Natasha pressed in a gentle tone. They needed an answer.

"Robert..." Thor hesitated again and closed his eyes, working on how to answer as he spoke. "Robert's greatest foe is himself. He is brilliant, just like all of you. As an ally, he is  _invaluable_. Again, like all of you are. He is, however, in constant danger... from  _himself_."

He let out another heavy sigh and opened his eyes. He met each of his friend's gazes in turn. They were curious and, understandably, concerned.

"I... would consider it a great favor if you would continue to look over him for a while," he asked in a soft voice.

The fact that Thor had dodged the original question wasn't lost to any of the Avengers around him. Clint, Tony, and even Bruce frowned at his words. Steve and Natasha's expressions remained neutral, if curious.

"Did you actually meet him in New Mexico?" Clint asked abruptly, though his tone remained curious and friendly. "I don't believe that I saw him there, but I could be wrong. Several things were going on, after all."

"Believe it or not, Friend Barton," Thor started with a chuckle, "but New Mexico was  _far_ from my first trip to Midgard. However, any previous trips that my friends and I took were... hm, I believe the term nowadays would be 'joy rides?'"

That earned him a chuckle or a smile from the rest of the group. Bruce even facepalmed and muttered 'good grief' under his breath.

"You were just fooling around on Earth for the hell of it like a bunch of party-going  _teenagers_ on a road trip," Tony said in a mock-stern tone. He rolled his eyes and then punched Thor lightly on the shoulder and winked conspiratorially at him. "I get it."

Thor let out a soft snort of amusement. He knew Tony had previously had the same devil may care attitude until he'd become Iron Man. Thor's expression turned pensive, and he shook his head.

"I was... very ignorant and prone to anger back then," he said in a soft tone. He inclined his head. "I do apologize."

"I guess that makes sense, though," Tony admitted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I mean, if our friend Rob met Thor  _years_ ago, then that would have opened his eyes to the true nature of the Norse gods. Hell, it might have even made him obsessed with finding evidence to prove it to everyone. I know an experience like that, out of the blue, would have made me  _beyond_ obsessed."

"You're always obsessed with something, though," Bruce pointed out with a grin.

"Well, yeah,  _duh_ ," Tony sniped back. "Technology is awesome!"

"It would also explain his caginess on telling us  _precisely_ how he found out about the Norse gods being aliens," Clint said thoughtfully.

" _And_ his reaction when Thor showed up," Natasha said. "He was acting like a cat who'd had his tail stepped on and was wary it was about to happen again."

Thor shrugged and kept his expression blank. It would be best right now if he just allowed the Avengers to come up with their own theories. Loki himself had taught him the value of letting people reach their own conclusions and being able to say that he hadn't outright lied to anyone. Mind, Thor hadn't seen the value of such tactics until recently, but if it would keep Loki somewhat safe, then it was worth it.

"Thor did seem very friendly with him, though," Bruce said with a smile as he looked at Natasha. "It might just be a case of him trying to keep quiet about the circumstances of how he initially met Thor combined with him being surprised when Thor showed up out of the blue."

"Maybe," Natasha said with a thoughtful hum. "That  _does_ match his reaction."

"I also owe him one," Steve said as the pair fell silent.

"Yeah, you mentioned that," Tony said with a blink. "What exactly did he do again?"

Steve glanced away abruptly. He'd... not yet told the others about Bucky and how Robert had helped with his long-lost friend. The only one who knew anything about the mess at this point was Natasha, and she stepped forward to fill his sudden silence.

"Seriously, Tony?" she started with a cocky grin and a cant of her hips. "Are you suddenly getting forgetful in your dotage? Robert was the one to expose Hydra's activities, remember?"

She flashed Steve a reassuring smile as Tony let out a squawk of denial about his being forgetful. Steve returned the grin. Tony glared at the pair before letting out a huff and waving his hand.

"Right,  _that_. It was probably a good thing that Robbie-boy exposed them," Tony said with a nod. He grinned openly this time. "Alright then! Can't deny that his work is top of the line too! I'll keep him!"

"He's not a  _pet_ Tony," Bruce said with a sigh.

Thor smiled warmly at his friend's words and antics alike as he relaxed.

"Thank you, my friends," he said softly.

"Since Thor isn't the least bit worried about Robert being here," Natasha said with an amused smile, "we'll be fine and make sure he feels welcome."

Thor nodded, gave them his thanks one more time, and then said farewell.

 

* * *

 

Once back on Asgard, he locked gazes with the golden-eyes of Heimdal.

"So," Heimdal started in a nonchalant tone, "you've finally run into him."

Thor nodded his head, smiling sadly at the other man, and stayed silent. There wasn't much that he could say to that.

"You handled yourself well, my Prince," Heimdal said softly, bowing his head to the blonde warrior. "You ought to be proud."

"Thank you, Heimdal," Thor replied with a nod. "I've realized that it is essential that I find my own path. In that regard, it may be that being separated from Loki may be...  _good_ for me."

Having said the words aloud, he paused and mulled on them for a moment before nodding his head firmly.

"Now that I think of it, I believe that it  _will_ be good for me, not simply  _may_ be," Thor said confidently. "More than that, I believe that Loki needs his time as well, to be away from me, Father, and even Mother. He, too, needs to find himself. To find his own path. As his brother, it is my desire, nay my obligation, to give him that which he needs, even if it hurts to not see him. I swear I will be there for him once he truly needs me again. In the meantime, I will walk my own path and, even if it takes a hundred years, our paths will cross once again. "

Heimdal smiled gently at his young Prince, again feeling proud that the younger warrior had come so far in such a short amount of time. Thor had much to learn yet, but he was  _growing_.

"You have grown much wiser, my Prince," Heimdal said, offering him another small bow. Thor smiled in response and started for the door, only to hesitate and turn back to the other man. Heimdal raised a brow at him in question.

"Heimdal, do..." he paused and then pressed on. "Do you think that Loki was correct? That the promise that his powers would be returned to him once he proves himself worthy  _was_ just a cruel joke made by Father? I... I have difficulty believing that the All-father himself would do such a thing, but..."

"It was no joke, my Prince," Heimdal reassured him softly. "It is fully within Loki's power for him to prove himself worthy  _if_  that is what he desires."

"Truly?" Thor breathed, eyes shining now with hope instead of worry.

"However," Heimdal continued in a cautioning tone, "it is a path he will have to choose for himself. At this time, he has not yet chosen to walk that path."

"Well then," Thor started thoughtfully before grinning widely, "we grow to be several thousand years old, compared to Humans. There is plenty of time to wait."

"Patience suits you, my Prince," Heimdal commented with a chuckle. "You've acquired yet another new trade."

"True, true," Thor said with a smirk before frowning. "If I were true to my feelings, and still my rash self, I would go back down there and shake some sense into Loki.  _Demand_ that he make a go at proving himself worthy right this minute. Yet... something tells me that would do no good. That such a thing is not what he needs right now, and that I would only drive him further from us."

Heimdal blinked, mildly surprised and amused, before nodding his head.

"That is indeed wise of you," Heimdal said gently. Thor flashed him another smile.

"With Loki no longer holding me back because I am losing my temper, with him not being here to ask me to see reason when I am about to act on impulse and even observe all the finer details that I do not usually see, I... I find myself forced to do so myself," Thor admitted softly, a hint of fondness in his voice. "I have to keep myself in check. I am in desperate need to learn and grow, not merely as a warrior, but as a person. A friend. A Brother. That's why I figured that for us both to improve, Loki and I need to be apart for a while. This... It pains me, but it is for the better. I still believe that we shall be stronger together when we are reunited at last, but that day is not today. Someday though, it will be."

"Your Mother will be please to hear you say that. It is what she always wished to see," Heimdal told him. He glanced to the side and then chuckled, waving Thor away. "Go now, my Prince. Your Mother waits for you as we speak."

Thor nodded and started for the doorway with a grin, he paused one last time, looking at Heimdal over his shoulder.

"Keep an eye on Loki for me, please," he asked.

"Both eyes," Heimdal said with a smile, "as often as I can spare them."

 

* * *

 

Back on Earth, in New York City, the sky had turned dark. Street and building lights alike lit up the city. Humans went about their business, walking the streets or stuck in traffic, headlights bright and horns blaring in the distance.

As opposed to all the bustle outside, Loki stood silent in his room. He was looking in the mirror, attention fixated on his green eyes. Thor's abrupt arrival had nearly driven him insane, but now? After he'd had a chance to calm down? Now he found that he was grateful. It had been a reminder to him. A reminder of who he really was.

Loki would not allow this Realm nor these Humans of Thor's to change him. Everything he did was an act, for he was Loki, the god of Mischief. Chaos was his willing servant, and the Humans were naught but ants beneath his heel. He would show them all.

His hands clenched as he thought of something else.  _Someone_ else. Thanos. The man was no god and never would be a god! He would defeat the titan his own way. Loki would use these willing Humans, the Avengers, to protect himself and best them all.

Odin. Thor.  _Thanos_. They would all know that he, Loki, had bested them. Was  _superior_  to them.

He needed no  _help_. He just needed access to his pawns, the Humans he had surrounded himself with. The tools he would use for his own benefit. He smiled, a vicious thing that was all teeth and threat.

He would show them  _all_.

 

* * *

 

Bruce stood outside one of the many large living-rooms that could be found in the tower. He rolled his shoulders and peeked inside. A certain red-headed woman was lying on a couch, her eyes shut. She looked exhausted. Thinking that she might be asleep, he coughed softly into his hand.

"Ahem," he tried, both hoping and fearing she was awake.

Natasha slowly opened her eyes and turned her head toward the door, meeting Bruce's gaze. Usually, she would smile right away or make some quip, but right now? She looked worn out. Bruce frowned gently in concern.

"Are... you okay, Nat?" Bruce asked, finally daring to step into the room and move toward the couch.

Natasha gave him a small smile.

"I'm fine. I'm just... really tired these days," she admitted softly.

"You've seemed more than a little stressed," Bruce admitted gently, earning himself a mock-angry pout from the woman. He coughed into his hand again. "Um, so have you ever seen  ** _A Night in the Opera_**?"

Natasha's pout faded into an amused smirk and knowing smirk. Bruce blushed lightly and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"It's a Marx Brothers movie," he explained, trying to keep any nervousness from his voice and likely failing. "A comedy."

"That's a  _really_ old movie, isn't it?" Natasha asked, still smirking.

"Yeah, it is. I used to watch it all the time with my dad," Bruce said, and he dared to take a step closer. He didn't actually sit down. "Then after the... well, you know, the  _incident._  I... found that one of the best ways to relieve stress for me was to watch a funny movie. The dumber the movie, the better, you know?"

Natasha watched him as he spoke, the smirk fading to a gentler smile. She looked thoughtfully at the ceiling before letting out a soft hum.

"Watch a funny movie, huh?" Natasha repeated with a questioning hum. "Sounds like something normal people do."

"Honestly," Bruce started with a heavy sigh, "I would kill for just a little bit of normalcy."

"Yeah, me too," Natasha said with a sigh as she sat up and scooched to lean back on the arm of the couch. "Wouldn't it be nice? A normal little house somewhere peaceful, maybe the middle of the woods. No missions to kill someone. No infiltration routes needing to be secured. No big wars and bodies piling up. Just... peace and quiet."

"You've just described my ideal paradise," Bruce said with a small smirk.

He turned and walked over to the large tv and pulled a DVD out of his coat. Powering things on and popping the disc into the DVD player took only a couple moments. He grabbed the remote as the menu screen popped up and started for the couch. Natasha shifted her legs, giving Bruce room to sit down next to her.

And join her he did, though he sat next to the opposite arm to give her space. He leaned back and pressed a button on the remote. The movie started up.

' _I saw Mrs. Claypool first. Of course, her Mother really saw her first, but there's no point in bringing the Civil War into this.'_

The snappy voice of Groucho Marx filled the room as he started with his corny jokes, and Natasha let out a soft snort of amusement. Bruce smiled, both at the movie and having heard the noise she made. He glanced over as she openly laughed at the next joke.

"You know, Groucho reminds me of someone," Natasha said a little way into the movie, having both laughed openly at several of the jokes by now and having  _relaxed_.

"Oh?" Bruce said, amused. "Who's that?"

"Tony!" Natasha exclaimed with a laugh and a wave of her hand. "They are totally the same 'kind' of smart ass!"

Bruce turned and blinked at her in confusion before his eyes widened.

"Oh, my god. You're right! They are! How did I not see that?" Bruce said with a choked laugh. Natasha laughed at his expression, and the next thing Bruce knew, her head was resting on his lap. He tensed, eyes wide for an entirely different reason now. "Erm... Uh... Natasha?"

He'd admit to  _no one_ that he almost squeaked and had only barely managed to avoid making the sound.

"Please, Bruce?" she asked in a soft voice. "I am so tired right now. Even if it's just for another hour, I want to feel  _normal_. Even if just a tiny bit."

"Oh... okay," Bruce said with a small blink before he smiled gently. "Sure thing."

He leaned back and forced himself to relax. He could feel every chuckle she made this way. Even the silent ones vibrated gently against his leg. Eventually, he relaxed fully and smiled to himself. He had to admit that this was pretty nice.

Being 'normal' for just an hour, enjoying a silly movie with a friend, felt pretty darn good.


	27. Avengers assemble

After spending so much time on Midgard, Loki had come to several conclusions. The most important one? Humans made little to no sense. Especially the Avengers!

Loki had been spending the day doing his usual routine, work with Bruce to pinpoint strange energy readings across the planet, and see if they were a significant source of Gamma Radiation like the Tesseract or the Staff. It looked like they _might_ have been getting somewhere on one particular reading, and then Tony burst into the room like a Human tornado. He'd rushed around the place to grab a few things, shouting over his shoulder.

"No time to waste, guys!" Tony yelled. "We gotta go go go!"

"Wha-" Bruce tried to ask, only to be cut off.

"I said _no time_!" Tony snapped back as he bee-lined toward the door. "We're going to Canada. _Now_! Suit up!"

Bruce had sighed in exasperation and started after the other man. Loki had found himself following along as he'd wanted to understand the _why_ behind Tony's outburst.

Turned out, there was some guy wreaking havoc on a city by turning into a monster made of _sand_. Loki frowned as he watched the group get ready. This attack had absolutely nothing to do with them. Nor did it affect their current project. When Loki carefully asked why the Avengers were getting involved, he was told that S.H.I.E.L.D., who would generally make arrangements to handle such an incident, was currently not equipped to handle things. Given that they were stuck trying to purge their ranks of hidden Hydra agents, they couldn't trust that they were sending people who would _actually_ help with the issue. And since there was no one else around with the power and knowledge needed to fight such a foe, it fell to the Avengers to help take down the threat.

Loki had a hard time seeing how that was in any way _their_ responsibility. It wasn't their fault that this 'Canada' had failed to properly prepare for such an attack.

Thankfully as Loki wasn't considered a fighter. As such, he wasn't asked to join the rest of the group as they jumped onto Tony's 'borrowed' Quinjet and flew off to save the day. That suited him just fine. If the Avengers wanted to waste time playing the hero, who was he to stop them?

While they were stuck dealing with that mess, Loki found that he could work without interruption. Without anyone looking over his shoulder, he found that he could relax as he worked. Though he _did_ keep a couple of screens up. The feed would him what the others were up to. Eventually, Pepper joined him in the room, though her focus was more on the screens than his work.

When the fight started, they would both be able to observe the visuals from Tony's current suit on the screen and talk to the group as needed.

Loki glanced at the woman and saw that her attention was focused on the screen. A crease marred her forehead as she spoke with the team, worry evident in her expression. Again, Loki had a hard time figuring out why she was so concerned. The group had _elected_ to go on their little mission of their own free will after all.

 _The call of 'Glory' and 'Adventure,'_ he thought to himself with a mental sneer. _Fools_.

"I still don't understand Tony," Pepper repeated for the nth time. "Why _you_?"

"Who else is there?" Tony asked in a dumbfounded tone as if it was obvious. The tone made Pepper sigh.

"You're an _inventor_ , Tony. Not a soldier. Your inventions can and have done so much good. More so than..." she halted and let out another sigh.

"More than 'Iron Man?'" Tony said in a questioning tone. "That is what you were going to say, right?"

"Well... yes," Pepper admitted with a frown.

"Look, Pep," Tony started and then stopped, letting out his own sigh. "Look. We're on-site now. We can _help_ these people. We can save lives."

"Tony, listen to me. Not every unfortunate event or attack is _your_ fault. _This_ attack is _not_ your fault, " Pepper shook her head as she pointed out the obvious. Loki shook his head, partially in agreement and somewhat in frustration, but did not speak up. "There's no need for _you_ to get involved in this. Not really."

Tony scowled in annoyance and looked about ready to say something before he calmed himself. He glanced over Pepper's shoulder and seemed to notice him for the first time.

"It'll be okay, Pepper. I can do this," he said with a confidant smirk. "Rob, buddy, tell her."

" _Robert_ ," Loki corrected as he pushed his glasses back up his nose with his index and middle finger. If the middle finger was a little more visible than his index, well... "And I must agree with Pepper. You _legitimately_ have nothing to do with this incident. A man who can _turn into sand_ is attacking the populace, not someone using _your_ technology. Thus it is not your responsibility to fix anything. Furthermore, your greatest asset is your _mind_ , not your physical strength. If you were wiser when it comes to delegating everyone to their own strengths, you would allow Steve, Bruce, Natasha, and Clint to handle it directly while providing aid remotely. Could your suits not even be piloted remotely? Besides, you have better things to spend your limited amount of time on."

At that, Tony gaped at the screen as if someone had smacked him upside the head. Pepper looked thoroughly amused and flashed Loki a grateful look. Loki stood a bit straighter and again shifted his glasses. He did _not_ preen out of self-satisfaction.

"Well," Steve's voice sounded both tentative and confidant from the background. "I, for one, am happy that Tony is here. He's shown to have very unique abilities on the field, and that has been proven invaluable before."

"Thanks, Cap!" Tony exclaimed with a wide grin. "At least _someone_ here is on my side."

"Although," Natasha started with a smirk, immediately killing Tony's grin and turning it into a frown. " _Sometimes,_ he acts before he thinks. So, in reality, he just gets in the way. A lot."

Loki let out a sigh as Tony started squawking out a list of his 'accomplishments' in his own defense and walked over to the screens. He pressed a few buttons and let out a hum.

"You will be arriving in just under three minutes," he said, interrupting the Iron Man's tirade. "Might I suggest that you ready yourselves for combat?"

"Thanks, Robert," Steve said, voice going from kindly and teasing to stern in a heartbeat. "Okay, team! Listen up! Tony and I will go in first. Clint, Natasha, you're after us. Focus on observation and strategy to counter any threats. Bruce, you're our trump card. You'll stay here with the Quinjet unless otherwise ordered. We'll only need the Hulk as a last resort. Copy that everyone?"

"Suits me just fine," Bruce said with a relieved sigh. It sounded like he had just sat back down.

"Copy," Natasha and Clint said.

"You got it, Cap," Tony said eagerly. "Let's Rock 'n Roll! Hey, Bruce, just remember, if we need you out there-!"

"You're a huge fan of the way I go green and ragey, so don't feel bad about it," Bruce interrupted with a laughing sigh. "Yes. I know. Go on, off with you. Shoo!"

"Not _precisely_ what I said, but meh, it'll do," Tony said with a laugh as the sound of his repulsors activating filled the air. "And I'm not a fly _or_ a dog! Don't you 'shoo' me!"

"Enough," Steve interrupted sternly, "move out team!"

Personally, Loki was just glad these people were a couple of _hours_ of flight away from him. He couldn't help but shudder faintly at the thought of the Hulk showing up once more and being _near_ the brute as well. Pepper shook her head at the group's antics and walked over to the coffee machine installed in the wall. Loki hadn't been all that surprised to find that there was a coffee machine in nearly every room. Tony seemed to like the stuff. A lot. Loki imagined that Tony would have installed them in even the _bathrooms_ had Pepper not put her foot down. She readied two cups of the expensive brew, only the best in Stark Tower, and brought them over. She didn't even bother to ask what brand that Loki wanted anymore, knowing that he liked a fresh cup of ground, Arabic beans. Black, no sugar or milk.

Loki had, in fact, tried out several brands of coffee before settling on his favorite. He'd always make a comment about the lack of flavor, acidity, and depth of the brew if it wasn't said brand.

Tony had actually been astounded to find out that Loki could tell the difference in the various coffee beans down to richness, sweetness, aroma, and the like. Tony had disbelieved him at first and had even tried to serve him different coffee brands, sometimes two, three times a day, claiming it was Loki's preferred blend to see if he would catch on to the trick. Loki would catch him after a single sip. Every single time. Tony just laughed and commented that his skills as a coffee connoisseur were nothing short of amazing.

Pepper said nothing about the fact that three to five cups of coffee in a day wasn't all that healthy. For either of the men.

"Why does he keep insisting on doing things like this?" Pepper asked with a frustrated, yet worried sigh.

"He's a bleeding-heart," Loki responded honestly, taking a sip of the fresh coffee.

A contented sigh escaped him, and Pepper smiled in amusement. Loki wasn't entirely sure what he'd said that was so funny to the woman and didn't want to press her. He wasn't keen on indulging in idle conversation.

"Heart,'" she commented softly as if the word held some special, magical meaning to her. She sighed again, not even a second later, and Loki's eye twitched.

"I wouldn't be too worried, Pepper," Loki said, tired of Pepper's heart-wrenching sighs. "They have already proven themselves to be a competent team. It's not like this new enemy is any more dangerous than what they have already faced after all."

Pepper stared at him with a raised brow for a moment before chuckling.

"I'm not sure if that was supposed to make me feel better or not," Pepper admitted with a wry grin.

"I... am merely stating the facts as they are," Loki said.

A commotion on the screen caught their attention. Tony and the Captain had arrived on the scene to confront their new foe. Their first contact with said foe did not go well, however. Said enemy could literally transform his entire body into sand. Any blast of energy sent his way by Tony missed as he simply made a hole for the beam to pass through. Steve's punches were likewise avoided. When Clint launched a few arrows from a safe distance, they too had little effect. Natasha alone avoided direct contact with the 'Sandman' and looked to be trying to figure out any possible weakness. The fight was dragging on and on. Pepper slowly became more of a wreck as worry caused her to start biting her lower lip. And Loki?

He was just getting bored.

They had better things to do than this! Not only that, but the guy they were fighting was also an absolute _joke_. Eventually, he had enough. Frustration filled him, and he moved over to start tapping away at the keyboard.

"HEY!? What the heck is going on!" Tony yelped as he flew around, trying to avoid the Sandman's attacks. " _ROB_!? The hell are you doing to my suit?! This is _my_ suit! Build your own if you want one so damned bad!"

"I am merely borrowing the scanners in your suit for a bit," Loki responded in a dry tone.

If Tony bothered to check, he would see that yes, his suit was currently scanning and sending data to Loki regarding the molecular structure of the sand that their for was turning into. He frowned as he looked over the readings.

"Sooo… ya seeing anything interesting over there, Rob? Can I have my sensors back now?" Tony finally asked, sounding equal parts annoyed and curious.

Loki's frown only deepened. The scan came back as part-sand, part human molecules. Which was… _fantastic_. If this person was Human even in sand form, then he wasn't allowed to harm or _help_ harm, said individual. Neutralization it was then.

"Yes, actually. You can cut back on any electrical-based or heat-based attacks. They won't work, " Loki informed them.

"Huh. Okay," Tony fell silent for about a half-second before asking, "You think ice will work?"

"That might slow him down, but from these readings, it wouldn't last long, " Loki said as his fingers all but flew over the keyboard.

Pepper remained silent, watching Loki type and glancing at the screen from time to time. It was clear that she was following along. Abruptly, Loki froze, and his eyes flew wide.

"Oh! Of course! It's so simple!" Loki exclaimed with a laugh. "Oh, dear. That makes things almost too easy."

"What's easy?!" Tony all but snapped as he dodged another attack. "What do we need to do to being this guy down?!"

"Water, Tony, _water,_ " Loki informed the other man, reigning back the smugness he was feeling. "He will not be able to control his own body with any degree of finesse if he is wet. Afterward, we just find an airtight container to contain him."

"Huh. Why didn't I think of that? He turns into _sand._ That's-" Tony fell silent and then turned, shouting over his shoulder. "Hey, Capsicle! You catch that?"

"Water, yes! I heard you!" Steve called back as the sound of something pinging off his shield rang through the air. "Robert! Can you find us a water source?"

Pepper had moved over to another screen and keyboard the second Loki had said 'water.' Before he could start searching himself, she spoke up in a confidant tone.

"There is a river two-point-three miles East of your location!" she said, fingers flying over her own keyboard.

"However, you cannot just dump him in the river," Loki said firmly. "His body will turn into mud and flow with the stream until he reaches a point where he can recover or hits a larger body of water. We don't know if that will kill him."

"Great," Tony said dryly, "any other ideas?"

Loki frowned for a moment as the sounds of fighting continued in the background. A few more clicks at the keyboard, and he almost smacked his forehead. Tony had unknowingly voiced the answer earlier while teasing Steve.

"Of course! Get him wet and then _freeze him!_ " he said. "Clint? Do you still have any cryo-arrows left?"

"Tried one earlier. Didn't have any effect, so haven't used them up," Clint responded. "Still have most of them."

"Good. Save the ones you have left for now," Loki instructed firmly. "Once our new friend the Sandman is soaked through, _then_ you'll freeze him."

"Got it!" Clint responded.

"How the hell are we going to soak him down?" Tony asked with a yelp. "This is worse than herding cats as it is!"

At this, Bruce popped into the conversation.

"I've got an idea," he started. "Lead him North-East. There's a dam there, and I can re-direct the water source using the jet. One well-placed missile will let the water flood the area you're in enough to do the trick."

"That'll do the trick," Tony said with a smirk.

"Nat! Withdraw and warn the civilians away from the area!" Steve shouted as if they were losing. The Sandman cackled madly, and Steve used the distraction to mutter into the headset, "Once we get the all-clear, Tony and I will lead Sandman into position. Clint, you'll need to fall back and find a spot to line up your shot. Clear?"

"Roger!" Nat shouted, turning and leaving the area. Two, far softer, 'rogers' echoed in their ear-pieces.

"Okay, taking off and heading for the dam," Bruce said.

"Pepper, Robert," Steve started in a low tone as he continued to play the defensive. "I'll be counting on you two to give the signal once everyone is in position. We're counting on you two."

Loki smirked and leaned back on the balls of his feet. This? This was the easiest job imaginable. This felt… _nice_. Far better than being dragged into the middle of a battlefield by Thor to be as close to their enemies, usually Trolls, as possible. Oh yes, this… _support role_ suited him far better.

"We've got this, Steve," Pepper said in an assuring tone with a small smile on her lips.

As the fight progressed, the Avengers strategically giving ground, Pepper and Loki remained vigilant and kept providing updates to the entire team. Once the nearby civilian area was cleared and the Sandman in position, Loki grinned.

"Alright. Bruce, you're up! Blow the bridge!" Loki ordered.

There was a period of silence followed by a frustrated hiss of breath.

"Bruce?" Tony asked, strain ringing in his tone. "What's going on over there, Big Guy?"

"It's… the missiles aren't launching," Bruce said in a frustrated tone. "I can't get it… wait a sec. Damn it, Tony!"

There was a brief moment of confused silence, excluding the sounds of combat, of course, before Tony spoke up. His tone was mildly contrite.

"Oh. Yeah. Now I remember," he said with a weak chuckle. "I uh, was fiddling with the missile launcher. Um, the missile systems aren't functional right now. Oops?"

"WHAT?!" Bruce shouted. "Tony you-!"

"Not the time," Loki cut in with a sigh. "Bruce, you'll just need to… Hulk out."

Bruce groaned at that, and a thud filled the air. Loki didn't even need to see the man to know that he had banged his own head against either the console or the wall. He snickered softly.

"Bruce, _please_ , " Steve asked in a strained voice. "We aren't going to be able to hold him in position forever!"

"Right. _Right_ ," Bruce let out a heavy sigh and Loki to picture him shoving himself up out of the chair. "I got it. On my way."

"We're going to need someone available to calm the Hulk down if necessary," Steve said.

"I can handle that," Natasha said confidently. "Tony and Steve need to stay put to keep Sandman in check, and Clint needs to be ready with his shot. I'm the only one free to handle that."

"Nat, you-" Bruce started, only to have her cut him off.

"I'm not going to _fight_ the Hulk Bruce," she said gently. "We just need to calm him down, right? So, I'll just talk to him. Trust me, Bruce, I can handle this."

"Fine… alright," Bruce let out a small sigh. "Well, then. See you guys on the other side. Good grief…"

"Alright, Charlie Brown," Tony quipped, earning a muttered groan from Bruce.

The sound of an ear-piece being removed and set aside filled the air. There was a distant roar, and not even two minutes later, the dam was destroyed as planned. Loki didn't need to see the incident. He could clearly imagine Bruce transforming, jumping out of the jet, and using the speed of free-fall to destroy the dam. Loki shivered at the mental image. He was very, very glad he wasn't on-site to hear the roars.

"Visuals confirm that the water is approaching your position," Loki said to the others. "Calculations say roughly five minutes until the floodwaters reach you."

Tony let out a frustrated noise.

"Oh God," he said with a groan. "That's like… _forever_."

"Just hold on, Tony," Pepper said. "We've got this!"

"Four minutes, thirty seconds," Loki said.

"Steve, you might want to start withdrawing to higher ground now," Pepper said firmly. "Clint, find a stable position!"

"Got it," Clint said.

"Falling back," Steve responded.

The clock ran down as everyone worked to get where they needed to be. Pepper and Loki both watched their respective screens, wary and watchful, for anything that might go wrong.

Three minutes…

Two minutes…

One…

"The waters should be reaching you…" Loki hesitated and then nodded. " _Now!_ "

Tony zoomed upwards, giving them a clear view from his visual display of the water flooding the area as planned. It washed over the Sandman and, despite their enemies frantic efforts to avoid the flood, turned him into a muddy being in mere moments.

"Clint now! Saturation levels should be at max!" Pepper ordered.

Multiple cryo-arrows flew out from Clint's hiding spot. Each one had been fired with Clint's signature, pinpoint accuracy. Every arrow hit the Sandman at a strategic point so that the ice would spread and cover the entire being all at once. The flood of water slowly tricked away, leaving the area a muddy mess with a single ice statue in the clearing. A quick scan showed that the 'mud' was still 'alive', and Loki smirked. Silence filled the air, only to be broken by Tony's jubilant 'whoop' of laughter.

"Yes! Did you guys _see_ that?" Tony shouted, doing a quick victory lap in his suit around the clearing. "We did it! Go Team!"

Loki smirked as he looked over the fruits of their labor.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," he said firmly. "You might want to find that container and quickly. Something to keep the temperature at freezing to avoid him thawing out at least. Then we can put him in an airtight containment system."

"Yeah, yeah," Tony said with a grumble. "I'll work on it."

"Nat?" Steve called out over the radio. "How's the dam situation look?"

"I had the Hulk patch things up with a large boulder," Nat said, voice ringing with amusement. "We can fix it up properly later."

That made Loki go still, fingers poised over his keyboard in shock.

"You… what?" he said disbelievingly. "You had the _Hulk_ … How did you manage that?!"

"I asked him nicely," Natasha said with an open chuckle. "Right, big guy?"

"Nice Lady," came a rumbly voice over her comm. " _Friend_."

Loki felt more than a little stunned as he leaned back in the chair he'd grabbed a while back. She'd calmed him down? Just like that? Right then. That... worked for him.

"Oh my god! Drinks on me tonight, guys!" Tony exclaimed. "Rob, Pepper, you're joining the victory party! No excuses!"

"Tony," Pepper started in an amused and slightly exasperated tone.

"Ah, no. I don't care what meetings there are or if the board wants to talk about this or that or _whatever_. _There is a party tonight,_ " Tony stressed with a laugh. "And you two are coming along. In fact, Pepper could you order some pizzas to be ready by the time we get home? And some fried cheese balls, I could really go for some cheese balls."

Pepper stared at the screen for a long moment. She shook her head and laughed softly.

"Fine. I can cancel," she at last said. "What kind of pizza do you want?"

"Meat lovers, of course!" Tony stated. "As if I'd order anything else!"

"Can I get a mushroom and chicken white-sauce pizza, please?" Natasha asked.

"Hawaiian for me, please!" Clint asked cheerfully.

"What? Ew! Clint! Just EW!" Tony exclaimed in disgust, making an exaggerated 'urp!' sound.

"I'm sure whatever you order will work for me, Pepper, " Steve chuckled in amusement as Tony and Clint bickered back and forth.

"Meat-lovers for the Cap, okay, Pep?" Tony informed, his screen wavering for a moment as he dodged Clint's attempt to thwack him upside the head. "And one for Bruce too! Alright, see you two in a few hours. Get the lounge ready for a _party_ , will you?"

Pepper shook her head and chuckled.

"I'll see you soon, Tony," she said.

"Oh, and Pepper! Before you go?" Tony exclaimed as if he had forgotten something.

"What is it?" Pepper asked.

"I love you," Tony stated firmly. "You two were _amazing_. See ya soon, babe."

Pepper smirk softened into a gentle grin.

"I love you too," she informed and finally broke the line. She leaned back as well, sighing deeply.

"Well," Loki commented, leaning forward toward her. "At least that's handled."

Pepper shook her head and let out a soft snort. She waved her hand and grabbed her phone, starting to cancel the rest of her appointments for the day.

"Every day a new, crazy adventure with Tony," she said before turning to Loki with a shy, yet excited grin. "I will admit, though, that was kind of... I don't know... _fun_."

Loki shrugged and tried not to look too happy with himself.

"It was... decent entertainment," he responded. "I suppose."

"It felt _nice_ , being able to actually help them out instead of just being left behind to worry. You did well too, Robert," she offered him a thankful smile. "Thank you."

Loki blinked, then frowned slightly.

"You're welcome… I suppose," he said stiffly.

"Why do you look like it's so weird for me to say thank you?" Pepper asked. "You helped them as much, if not more than I did!"

"I... suppose I did at that," Loki shrugged and looked away, keeping his expression as nonchalant as possible. "It would be rather inconvenient if they got hurt at this time."

And Pepper chuckled at his words

"That's one way to look at it," she said with a grin. "You know what? We should do this again sometime."

"Oh certainly. Especially if it helps them get the job done quicker," Loki agreed in a nod.

Pepper chuckled again, then stood up and started typing away at her phone.

"Well, I am going to go order those pizzas. The others should be back here at around Nine PM, I should think. That would be a good time to have them delivered. What would you like?" Pepper asked.

"Whatever you're having," Loki responded with a shrug.

Pepper raised a brow at him.

"You are usually the one with the best taste around here," Loki admitted.

"Well, that's kind of a compliment, I guess," she commented with a smirk.

She shook her head as she finally left, and Loki sighed as he leaned back again in his seat. Well, now that the Avengers were done with their little joy ride and had successfully 'saved the day,' perhaps they could get back to what was _important_.

Sheesh.


	28. The feast

The custom of having a celebratory feast after a battle was another thing Loki was familiar with after having lived so long on Asgard. As such, he could quickly note the peculiarity that some things remained the same no matter where he went. Parties such as this always had loads of food and plenty to drink. The people would recount their former, or most recent, adventures in loud, booming voices. There would be laughter and song. Jokes and good-humored jabs. All while being high both on adrenaline and drink.

Loki was pleased to find that, while there was laughter and a recounting of events, it was far more _subdued_ than the massive parties held on Asgard. Mostly the Avengers could just be found relaxing on the couches in Tony's main lounge.

Tony, of course, had not missed a beat. He had claimed a seat next to Pepper and had happily put an arm around her shoulder and held her close. Clint was sitting on an armchair by himself, legs crossed, and a plate of his own pizza balanced on his knee as he talked. Natasha had situated herself right next to Bruce, much like Tony had with Pepper. She would try to scoot closer to the scientist whenever he wasn't looking. A small fact that was not lost to Loki. It made Loki wonder if Bruce held secret some kind of information she was trying to get out of him. He had a hard time figuring out what else she would be doing.

Loki was sharing a couch with Steve, each of them sitting at their own side and allowing the other space. They were surrounding a table that had numerous open pizza boxes, the multiple meat lovers, the one Hawaiian, and then one that Pepper had ordered. Something called 'Greek-style.' It was for her and Loki and had a rather lovely flavor to it.

"You know... I really could get used to being on a team like this," Tony admitted, nodding to everyone before smiling at Pepper. "It's... kind of nice when people have your back."

Pepper smiled back, a gentle thing that lit up her face as she looked back at him.

"Yes. It's nice to _see_ that you aren't alone out there. And that you let them help you to," she said softly, a hand lifting to rest over his own where it lay on her shoulder.

"You did great too, love," Tony said, offering her a cocky smile and a small hug. " _You're_ my favorite Avenger! No doubt about it."

"Tony, I'm not a..." Pepper began only for Tony to shake his head and cut her off by tapping a finger against her lips. She rolled her eyes at his antics.

"Of course you are, Pepper!" Steve said firmly, flashing her a smile and stopping her from saying anything. "It was through _team_ effort that we brought down the Sandman, and _you_ were part of that team! We all benefited from your help, and I hope you'll give us your aid again in the future."

Pepper blinked, then smiled gently even as she blushed.

"If you would like me to... Then I would love to," she admitted. "Being an actual part of it all, helping like that, makes it feel different. It feels _good_."

Her smiled widened, and she looked up at Tony, almost shyly. He smiled back at her. There was a look of equal parts pride, mischief, and, most of all, _love_ in his eyes. The two almost melted against each other, and Loki rolled his eyes. Those two were getting a bit too sugar-sweet, lovey-dovey for his tastes. Too bad he couldn't make a bucket of ice water appear over their heads…

"I couldn't have done it without Robert, though," Pepper said, turning that happy smile on Loki and pulling him from his imaginings. "We make a great team, don't you think?"

Loki went still, surprised, and more than a little pleased to be included in the praise. Not that he would admit _that_.

"I suppose we did work well together," he admitted, looking away and taking a sip of his drink.

"Aww, look at that. He's shy," Clint teased with a laugh. He wagged a finger at Loki. "Don't get any ideas now. I don't think Tony would be happy to see anyone flirting with his girlfriend."

Loki rolled his eyes at the teasing jab.

"Pepper is organized, sharp-witted, and fiercely intelligent," Loki said firmly. "She is a good work partner, nothing more."

As one, the group around him frowned and looked at Loki. He let out a huff and hid a smirk with the rim of his cup.

"I... _think_ that was a compliment," Clint eventually commented, and Pepper chuckled in amusement.

"I'm used to spending time with condescending jerks," Pepper said with a grin as she leaned against Tony. "Thank you, Robert. You're also a good work partner."

"It... _helped_ that everyone on the ground was good at following instructions," Loki commented hesitantly.

Internally, he was lamenting just how _bad_ Thor and his friends were in comparison to how the Avengers had behaved. Not one of them had listened to Loki's advice on how to go into a fight. His tactics would have led them to victory multiple times over, but _nooo_. Every single one of them had wanted to rush headfirst into battle and damn the consequences. The difference between the two groups was plain to see and… Loki didn't quite know what to make of that fact. It was weird.

"The Hulk isn't that scary!" Natasha said firmly, drawing Loki's attention back to the group. The discussion had turned to Bruce's involvement in the fight. "I find him to be very sweet."

Loki stared at the woman with a raised brow. He and Natasha obviously had _very_ different ideas of what the definition of 'sweet' was. Bruce himself had ducked his head down in a shy manner. A flush of shame or embarrassment crawled visibly up his neck.

"I'm serious, guys, " Natasha said with a small laugh. "He was scared of _me_ at first. He thought I was going to attack him, but when he realized I wouldn't… he was so cautious. It was almost like he was terrified of hurting me, but wanted me to stay nearby. It's almost a shame he went away so quickly..."

"That big green ogre is such a pitiful creature," Loki commented softly, looking down briefly.

That made them all turn to him with various expressions on their faces. Loki looked up and blinked in surprise.

"What?" he asked.

"What do you mean by that, Rob?" Tony asked with a frown.

"It _is_ pitiful when you think about it, isn't it?" Loki asked as he leaned back against the couch. "So much power available to it, and yet this creature finds himself a prisoner inside of Bruce. It is only allowed a mere _glimpse_ of the outside world when _Bruce_ allows himself to feels anger or, in other ways, _demands_ its' presence. Not only that but when it is time to calm the Hulk down, it is not allowed to _stay_ around to enjoy the scenery around it nor otherwise discover the world. Take today, for example. It was the Hulk who destroyed and then _fixed_ the dam, albeit temporarily, but it is not here to share the celebration with us. It is _Bruce_ who is allowed to be here afterward and celebrate."

His little speech had led to absolute utter and stunned silence from the group. Everyone looked at Loki with wide eyes, and he merely looked back at them with a raised brow. When no one spoke up, he decided to press his point further.

"Am I wrong?" Loki asked, his tone bordering in condescending. "Clearly, the Hulk can grow more intelligent. We all heard him call Natasha 'nice lady' and 'friend,' did we not? And yet, to my knowledge, he has never been allowed to 'stay out' long enough to learn and grow, has he? Now, I am not saying that he will ever be as smart as Bruce, but he has already learned to form simple sentences. In fact, how old is the Hulk, Bruce?"

"Erh, " Bruce started haltingly. "Well, the accident happened about fourteen, fifteen years ago now. I think."

"Well then, consider this; for how long of that time has the Hulk _actually_ been awake? Aware of himself and his surroundings? If you accumulate all of the time that you've let him outside, you have what a week's worth? Perhaps a month if we are exorbitantly generous. In either case that would make him a _child_ , nothing more than a baby in fact," he finished and took another bite of his pizza.

Natasha nodded thoughtfully while the others shared equally quizzical looks. Obviously, none of them had thought of it that way before.

"He did seem to be a bit like a child," Natasha admitted after a few moments. "Not just that, but a child longing for friendship and positive attention. When he reached out to me, there was… so much longing and sorrow in his eyes. He looked so very lonely."

"Ya know what, I got a question," Tony raised up a hand as if he were in a classroom. "Are Bruce and the Hulk just two sides of the same person? Like, you know, ultimately the exact same person underneath. Or… are they two _separate_ entities?"

Bruce frowned and removed his glasses to clean them in what Loki had realized was a nervous habit.

"I'm not sure," Bruce admitted after a few moments. "We do seem to affect each other's moods. However, we don't… We don't seem to share a lot of _memories_. At least, nothing other than flashes and vague ideas of what the other was up to."

"Maybe we should try and talk to the Hulk," Natasha pointed out thoughtfully.

" _Talk_ to him?!" Bruce asked, almost shouted, really. "Natasha! You know what destruction he brings when he…"

"Well, that's when you lose control," Natasha pointed out calmly. "But, have you ever tried to let him out in a peaceful situation? Have you ever tried talking to him yourself?"

"How would I even _do_ that?" Bruce asked incredulously. He sighed a moment later and admitted. "No."

"We should try that then!" Tony said excitedly, already calling up one of his little holo-screens to punch in some numbers and diagrams.

"Tony, are you insane?!" Bruce asked, trying to swipe his hand through the image. "You _know_ the kind of destruction he can bring when running loose!"

"Nat handled him fine before," Tony pointed out while swatting away Bruce's hand.

"Steve?!" Bruce asked desperately, trying to find someone to back him up.

Steve was usually the one who agreed that the Hulk should only ever be used as a last resort. Yet now, the good Captain seemed thoughtful. He slowly nodded his head in agreement, looking at Tony, who grinned eagerly.

"We would need to take measures, of course, but we should try to talk to him," Steve said gently. "I mean, he is one of our teammates. Without him, we would have lost the battle in New York. Even today, he was a great asset to the team. We would not have been able to succeed in pulling off our plan without him. We owe him our thanks and gratitude as a team."

Clint sighed deeply and nodded his agreement.

"Yeah," he admitted with a nod. "You're right, Cap. Big guy needs his due."

A wide-eyed Bruce looked back and forth at all of them. Eventually, he slumped and shook his head.

"Do you even know what you're…" he started only to fall silent as Natasha leaned over and touched his arm.

"It's going to be okay, Bruce," Natasha spoke in a soft voice, and Bruce looked at her.

"Yes, this should be beneficial. Just one thing?" Loki said, holding up his own hand this time. "Regardless of how you lot decide to go about this, please tell me before you do it, so I am not anywhere nearby!"

"Aww, still scared of the big bad Hulk?" Tony asked in a teasing tone.

Loki frowned in annoyance at the other man.

"No," he said in a way that made it clear that he was lying. The rest of the group chuckled.

"Fair enough," Tony said with a laugh. "We owe you one too, dude. You are _super_ good at observing the situation, you know that?"

Loki blinked again in surprise.

"Yes..." he said slowly and carefully.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind for the future," Tony said with a grin. "Man, this team is really shaping up. For the Avengers!"

He held up his can of beer, and the rest raised their own respective glasses or cans. Loki sighed. He had to keep up appearances, though, so he picked up his own can to join in on the cheer.

"For the avengers!" they all cheered and took a drink.

As they downed their drinks, Loki reminded himself that he was going to betray them. Of just how sad and devastated their faces were going to be when they realized that they had come to depend on their own enemy for aid. Of just how _good_ it was going to feel once they realized that they had become so reliant on Loki himself. Such wide-eyed, big, _stupid_ faces…

Loki hated that the feeling of satisfaction at tricking his foes was a fleeting one. Once again, he had to forcibly remind himself that he would not lose himself to his chosen role. He refused to change.

He was Loki, the god of mischief. He had positioned himself in a place that gave him the greatest advantage in the upcoming battle.

That was all.


End file.
